Ransomware is a virus that takes control of the computer, and locks out the user until money is paid. This type of attack mainly hits home computers, but business attacks are on the rise. Law firms, hospitals, online casinos, and even police departments have been hit by the virus. Also, don’t think if you have an Apple computer, or your network is in the cloud that you’re safe, because they have been hit also. A strong managed service provider, such as TOSS C3, can help to strengthen your protection against possible security leaks.

Back Up, Often

This is the primary defense against ransomware attacks. Just in case the virus is good enough to get through all of your defenses then a frequent backup plan can save you time and money. According to Wired, “One health care customer lost access to 14 years of files… and a community organization lost access to 170,000 files in an attack, but both had backed up their data to the cloud so they didn’t have to pay a ransom.” Just backing up to an external hard drive is not good enough. Many of these ransomware attacks do not initiate for three days, or longer after they have infected the computer or network. In that scenario, the ransomware would be backed up with the data, and would still remain a threat.

The strongest advantage to a cloud backup solution is the flexibility to reload the data at a later date. If the virus is found, your managed service provider can quickly get you back up and running. On a weekend, when things have slowed down at the law firm, you can look for a good backup model and eradicate the virus entirely.

Limit Ransomware Accessability – User Level

The primary method for the spread of ransomeware is through email and links. Businesses constantly tell their employees to not click on links or answer emails unknown to them, but it always happens. Reports show that companies that spend the time to educate their workers have had a decrease in viruses across their networks. TechTarget advises that “Exploits are the now-familiar emails that encourage users to click on a video or other file that can transmit malware. Mobile code, such as Java and various macros, can also infect an endpoint and, in turn, make a call to a website to download the actual infection.”

Limit Ransomware Accessibility – Network Level

Anti-virus programs are good at what they do. The big names are consulted when there are matters of National Security. Large anti-virus companies spend a lot of money and research learning how the hackers break into the best encrypted software. In fact, some companies hire these anti-hackers to break into their own code to see if they can find a back door. One of the keys to an effective anti-virus software is the updates. If possible, these updates should be issued immediately.

A managed service provider can help you decide on the best route to take for your business. In some cases, a cloud solution may help to a degree, but a hybrid cloud solution would work better for your needs.

New technologies continue to emerge in the anti-viral community, but so does the hacker’s potential to crack them. This give and take relationship is a constant, so the only real defense is to expect it to happen. Take the appropriate measures to be prepared when the time comes. They may never hit your law firm, but if they do, you must be ready for them. Trust TOSS C3 to help protect your network.