If you own ANY size business, ransomware can be especially scary. With the rise in ransomware attacks and the publicity, they’ve generated recently, large and small businesses wonder what they can do to protect them from ransomware and be safe from losing sensitive information. The damage can be devastating, but companies can significantly reduce the effect with the right tools and behaviors in place.
If you’re unfamiliar with Ransomware, you may want to get in touch with Bastionpoint Technology for an assessment of your network!
Below are our top 5 tips to help you protect your business, your technology, your files, and your users against access from ransomware and malicious cybersecurity threats.
Authenticate inbound email, enable strong spam filters and add MFA.
Enabling spam filtering on your email, you will prevent phishing emails (email attacks to obtain sensitive information electronically) from ever reaching your customers. In addition, many ransomware attacks come through malicious links and email attachments asking for users to input their own data, so protecting your business from it’s own employees can often be a must. Using filtering tools as the first line of defense to prevent email spoofing from reaching employees cuts down your potential for problems by almost 90%. You can never go wrong with adding an additional 2FA or MFA product as well. (Ask us about our Spam Filtering Services and Email Services for more information.)
Keep operating systems up to date.
Always make sure that your computers are up to date. Especially CRITICAL SECURITY PATCHES. For example, if you’re running Windows, then make sure to install the latest security patches regularly. The way a ransomware attack infiltrates your systems is evolving, so new security patches are constantly deployed to protect you and your operating system.
Have a robust backup strategy and recovery plan.
It’s imperative that at a minimum you are getting secure and routine on and offsite backups of your data. 8 out of 10 times organizations often go days or weeks without a full or proper backup of their critical data. Ensure your backups are running, and test restore points regularly. In the event of a breach, protect your business from ransomware attacks by ensuring that your most confidential data is stored off the main network and there is a proper backup of that data.
Encrypt your sensitive information.
Encrypting company data will prevent hackers from accessing it. This includes all sensitive customer information and how employees enter their passwords to log into the system. You may want to go as far as removing your critical assets into offsite storage and onto a separate device. Depending on how your organization uses computers and its network, installing an anti-virus program, EDR, or third party tool may be necessary for you to protect against ransomware attacks.
Check in often.
Don’t forget to conduct routine audits of how the security measures are working within your company. Send Phishing emails, review trends online and discuss them with employees. Train your staff in best practices and make sure that your AUP reflects so. Let your team know that if they notice any abnormalities or to get anything suspicious to try and verify the sender or escalate it to your attention. Evaluate what has been done and how it is functioning, then make changes where necessary.
Partner with a managed service provider.
A managed service provider will offer more protection than you can provide for your business against a ransomware attack. Managed IT services are a way to extend the security measures of a small business without having to invest in expensive software or staff. We can function to help any size business with and provide a proactive budget to resolve issues and future needs.
Most small businesses have more to worry about than ransomware infections, malware, or a data breach. Ransomware can attack quickly, and the longer it takes for you to respond increases the risk and threat that your personal information is captured. Don’t become ransomware victims by letting your network be compromised. Instead, implement these steps and give yourself enough time and information to prepare against ransomware attacks.
Contact your trusted technology expert, and if you need further assistance or more information, contact Bastionpoint to book a free discovery call with our vCIO today.
Chief Information Officer / vCIO
I provide CIO and IT Support Services alongside a mid-sized technical support team of engineers for business. Bastionpoint Technology is a managed service provider for businesses ranging from 1-500 users! We specialize in Legal, Medical, and Professional services, but support so much more. Retail, Finance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Non-Profits, and you’ve certainly heard of our clients. We offer unlimited on-demand services, with an on-demand price point to meet every client’s needs. Just call on us – we put your business first!
