how to protect against the rise of ransomware€¦ · “ransomware is on the rise, up 300% from...
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www.Grexo.comHow to Protect Against the Rise of Ransomware
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How to Protect Against the Rise of Ransomware
www.Grexo.com
www.Grexo.comHow to Protect Against the Rise of Ransomware
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How to Protect Against the Rise of Ransomware
You make your way through the office doors and sit down at your computer, ready to get the day started – only, you’re greeted with a flashing red sign on your screen demanding that you pay $800 to an unknown party in the next 24 hours or else everything on your PC will be deleted and gone forever.
Sure, that $800 doesn’t seem like a huge amount to pay for the sake of saving your business-critical files, documents, and data. But imagine if every employee across your company got the same threat. Symantec research cites the average ransom paid by organizations at $10,000. And further ransomware statistics aren’t looking too bright:
88%
64%
59%
47%
88% of system admins expect ransomware to increase throughout the year
47% feel email attachments pose the biggest threat of attack
The effectiveness of email and spam filtering decreased from 88% to 64%
Confidence in endpoint security dropped from 96% to 59%
www.Grexo.comHow to Protect Against the Rise of Ransomware
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“Ransomware is on the rise, up 300% from last year and
striking at an average of 4,000 times a day.”
How Does Ransomware Work?If you’re not aware of what ransomware is, and the implications it can leave behind – then it’s time to pay close attention. Ransomware is a type of malware where hackers encrypt victims’ data and demand a ransom (usually paid by hard-to-trace virtual currency like Bitcoin) for the decryption key.
Some new types of malware go by the names of Cryptolocker, Cryptowall, and most recently Teslacrypt. Ransomware is on the rise, up 300% from last year and striking at an average of 4,000 times a day. This type of malware frequently crawls its way into victims’ computers via phishing messages, websites, spam, and email attachments.
According to a report by Cyber Threat Alliance, Cryptowall 3, one of the latest incarnations of Cryptowall, has been responsible for at least $325 million in damages since its inception in January 2015. Ransomware is certainly not going away, so businesses must be proactive about data security in order to stay ahead of malicious cyber criminals and hackers.
www.Grexo.comHow to Protect Against the Rise of Ransomware
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Tips to Safeguard Data
• Check the email sender and email content – Most ransomware is distributed by email. That’s why users must be extra cautious of who the email sender is to ensure the legitimacy of the email. Also be sure to keep a careful eye out for discrepancies and errors in the content of the email.
• Avoid clicking links in emails – Generally speaking, users should refrain from clicking on a link within an email. If you absolutely must click on a link, be sure to have a web reputation checker to ensure the link is safe.
• Backup is key – Companies that do not backup their data regularly are more likely to become victims of ransomware. Because there is no known tool out there to decrypt ransomed data, having a backup strategy is key for data protection. A Cloud storage solution is one easy way to automate the backup process and keep files stored offsite.
• Be sure software is always up-to-date – To minimize software vulnerabilities, make sure all your software is regularly updated and maintained.
“According to a report by Cyber Threat Alliance, Cryptowall 3, one of the latest incarnations of Cryptowall,
has been responsible for at least $325 million in damages since its
inception in January 2015.”
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Gain Peace-of-Mind with Grexo’s Help
At Grexo, we take a comprehensive approach to network security. We go the extra mile in securing all possible points of infection, and we provide ongoing training so your employees are aware of what to look out for and how to react to potential attacks. Get the much-needed peace-of-mind you deserve with Grexo taking on your security challenges. Contact us today to discuss your security plan.