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In the recent past, ransomware attacks have become more common in businesses and other organizations. Therefore, it is important for you to procure the right protection measures from IT companies in Houston. The most well-known ransomware attack was WannaCry which compromised numerous computer networks around the globe. This outbreak crippled countless operations, causing a lot of inconvenience and financial losses.
However, not all ransomware attacks are as high-profile as WannaCry. There are other malicious programs which can infiltrate your network and cause loss of data, compromising your commercial operations. Therefore, it is important to understand the risks in your company and take the appropriate actions to minimize the potential damage. If you understand the reasons why hackers would target your system, you will be in a better position to safeguard your business.
Technically, any organization or company which relies on computer systems is susceptible to infections. However, some networks and databases are more attractive to hackers interested in obtaining money using ransomware. In general, malicious hackers will target companies with important data stored in their system such as credit card information, banking details and social security numbers. Moreover, companies with more lax security might be more vulnerable.
Evaluating Your Risks
As stated above, there are some sectors which are more commonly affected by ransomware attacks. Therefore, you can evaluate the level of risk in your company and discuss the best protection options for your network with IT companies in Houston. For example, the most common industry globally affected by ransomware is the education sector. This problem can be attributed to the range of sensitive information in the databases.
In most cases, the stored data includes social security numbers, banking information, private research and other confidential details which are attractive to hackers. Moreover, there are numerous online interactions which occur daily in educational institutions which involve the transfer of large amounts of data. Most people are not aware of threats such as phishing scams, making the networks highly susceptible to compromise.
Ransomware attacks will also target hospitals and government systems. Typically, the attackers will encrypt the information which is essential for critical operations, some involving life and death. The compromise of this data increases the chances of the attackers receiving their ransom quickly. However, hackers are less likely to carry out attacks on major institutions, than smaller institutions. These unscrupulous persons will infect business networks, forcing a payout.
Still, your business can become a target for malicious hackers whether it is a major corporation or a small enterprise. In the past, it was easier to protect the company network by ensuring that the employees guard against suspicious mass emails. However, hackers have become smarter and more committed to their attacks. The hackers now tend to send targeted emails to identified individuals in specific companies, increasing the probability of a malware infection.
If you have data in your business you should protect, you are vulnerable to a ransomware attack. You can minimize the risk of successful infection by hiring IT companies in Houston to establish protective measures. Protect your essential information by backing it up in case of data loss. For more information on ransomware protection, consult our experts at ICS. 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.