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Recently, there has been a significant increase in the number malware attacks against businesses and organizations. The primary threat in the current technological atmosphere for hospitals, major corporations, and other establishments is ransomware. Most companies are being forced to rethink their security plans due to the numerous reports of halted operations and high financial demands. If you are uncertain about the implication of ransomware, consider this brief discussion on the dangerous malware and the importance of IT services in Houston to your business’ security.
What is Ransomware?
Ransomware can be defined as malicious programs which are designed to prevent or at least limit a user from accessing and using their digital data. The objective of this type of viral software is extortion. In simple terms, the attack is deliberate and the intention of the hacker is to force an organization or business to pay in order to regain control over their system. There are different ways in which the malware can penetrate your computer network. The program can be disguised as another type of file and downloaded mistakenly from emails or websites. The network can also be infected when harmful links are clicked. In targeted attacks, a software worm can be forced into a network.
Common Forms of Ransomware
There are different types of ransomware which are commonly used to attack computer networks. The most popular in the modern setting is encrypting malware. When this software penetrates your system, it will transform your data into a cipher or code, making it unreadable. Ideally, when the demanded ransom is paid, the hacker provides the decryption key to the victim. Non-encrypting ransomware normally locks the network screens or the files, preventing access until the demands are met. Another form of an attack embeds a virus into the system, and the hacker threatens to use the malware to expose stored data if a ransom is not paid.
Security Measures for Prevention
You should consult an expert on IT services in Houston to help your business in creating a prevention and protection against ransomware. In general, there are some crucial measures that every business can take to prevent exploitation by hackers. First, updates should be implemented for bug fixes and patching purposes. For instance, a critical security patch which was designed to prevent vulnerability to malware like WannaCry was provided, but most users had not implemented it. Second, security software such as antivirus and firewalls should be in place and up to date. In addition, every company should train employees on the right cyber security protocols and hold them accountable.
Establishing a Disaster Recovery Plan
Apart from prevention, your company should have a disaster recovery plan in case your data is lost through a malware attack. This will promote business continuity and minimize the financial repercussions of an unexpected IT problem. There are different strategies which you can choose for this purpose. Private and hybrids cloud solution are the most popular choices for large and growing because data will be replicated continuously, secured in an offsite location and restored with ease.
For top-tier IT solutions and security that you can rely on, trust us at ICS. Our experts on IT services in Houston are always ready to help you with your business needs. If you would like to learn more about your options for protection against ransomware and the best disaster recovery solutions, contact us today.
Further reading
ICS is a Texas-based 40-year-old technology company specializing in Managed IT, VoIP, Video Conferencing and Video Surveillance solutions for US and International businesses. ICS has over 4000 regional installations and specializes in multi-site businesses between 25 and 2500 employees. ICS’s customers enjoy the experience of ICS’s Total Care program which provides clients flat fee services with obsolescence and growth protection. Whether a customer elects to deploy their IT, Video Conferencing or VoIP in the cloud or on the customer’s premise, ICS can provide a full turn-key solution for our clients under one flat monthly fee.