If a bad guy with a gun says, “Put your hands up!” you would probably do it. But what would you do if someone makes the same threat via your computer? It sounds ridiculous, but it’s real and it’s called ransomware.
Ransomware is computer malware or virus that is secretly installed on a victim’s computer, tablet or smartphone and then holds the victim’s data hostage until a ransom is paid. In the last couple of months, I’ve been hearing from all kinds of business owners, who have had to pay up. It’s a terrible situation to be in, but it is preventable. Here are some ways you can avoid being the victim of a cyber attack or a computer ransom situation:
- BEWARE OF SUSPICIOUS EMAILS – Ransomware attacks are usually disguised as an email with an unsolicited attachment. If you open that email, the malware or virus attacks the information and files stored in your computer and holds the data hostage until a ransom is paid. If you don’t pay the ransom, the bad guys threaten to publish your computer data or delete it. I’ve heard of two companies recently that had to pay up to $1,500 in ransom. So don’t open emails from people you don’t know or with attachments that you didn’t ask for.
- FORTIFY YOUR COMPUTER – It takes some time for encryption to happen. So, if you suspect you’ve been attacked and can have your IT person remove the ransomware in its early stages, then you can salvage your information. Whether you’re a victim or not, now is a good time to fortify your computer’s security. Install software and initiate security policies that block malware.
- BACKUP YOUR FILES – A good way to protect yourself against ransomware is to back up your files regularly. You may also want to keep a second backup in a hard drive in another location. Your IT person may also want you to keep a third backup copy in a cloud that cannot be accessed by your computer.
- KEEP HARD COPIES – If for some reason, your computer is attacked and your tax returns are compromised, what would you do? It’s important to keep 7 years of hard copy tax returns on file because ransomware specifically goes after this kind of important information stored in cloud services, such as Dropbox.
Nobody likes to be strong armed into doing something or to have their information stolen. So now is the time to protect your assets and that includes your precious computer information. The bad guys are always looking for ways to steal your stuff. So get ahead of them by protecting your on-line information. If you need some other suggestions about how to avoid becoming a cyber victim, contact me or one of my Brigade Bookkeeping team members.
