How Will You Protect Yourself Against Ransomware in 2018?
You may believe that ransomware attacks only hit large businesses or government agencies. However, cybercriminals are busy attacking businesses of all sizes today, including small- to mid-size companies. In the past year, attacks have also become more frequent for educational institutions.
The FBI recently came out with a warning for educational institutions, reporting that cybercriminals are busy trying to sell more than 100 million private records from more than 100 schools. The frightening fact is that more than 60 percent of organizations, regardless of industry, have been hit by a ransomware attack or an attempted attack in the last year. Some of these organizations say the attempts occur on a weekly basis.
A quick Google search reveals the extent of ransomware attacks on a regular basis, including attacks on hospitals, corporations, and small shops across the country. In many cases, human error is to blame for allowing an attack to become successful. Phishing emails are usually the gateway.
File-sharing networks are an open door that cybercriminals will seek out. Third-party software is also ripe with vulnerabilities. However, bring your own device (BYOD) connections account for most of the attacks that occur, and this happens despite the fact that an organization’s system and network are protected. Usually, it’s a smartphone, laptop, or tablet computer that end users bring to work that becomes the conduit for infecting the system.
One of the ways to fight ransomware attacks is to have a backup plan in place. Data needs to be replicated on a disparate server, preferably on multiple, geographically disparate servers. Should your proactive measures to avoid attack fail, you won’t have to pay the ransom because your data is still available to you from other sources.
Software as a Service (SaaS) data loss is becoming more of an issue than ever, mostly because of human error, but also because many organizations are adopting new technologies with sync errors. Don’t let this be your downfall – look toward cloud-based solutions that will backup your data and keep you safe. At Net Tel One Communications, we utilize cloud-based services to keep our clients up and running at all times. We’re known for our robust support to clients, which is offered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Regardless of what industry you’re in, you’re vulnerable to attack, which is why it’s smart to partner with a company that can keep you safe. Contact us today to get proactive about security.