Small businesses are increasingly becoming the target of ransomware attacks. In fact, a recent study by Symantec found that 43% of all cyber attacks in 2017 targeted small businesses. This is because small businesses often lack the resources and cybersecurity expertise to properly protect themselves from these sophisticated attacks.
what is ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them. This can often be a very costly endeavor for small businesses, as they may not have the resources or expertise to properly protect themselves from these attacks.
How ransomware attacks are carried out?
Ransomware attacks are usually carried out through phishing emails or malicious websites. Once a user clicks on a link or downloads an attachment from these sources, the ransomware will be installed on their system and will begin encrypting their files.
Impact of ransomware attacks on small businesses
The impact of ransomware attacks can be devastating for small businesses. Not only can they often be very costly to deal with, but they can also lead to data loss and downtime. This can be extremely detrimental for small businesses, as they may not have the resources to properly recover from these attacks.
Tips on how small businesses can protect themselves from ransomware attacks
There are a few things that small businesses can do to protect themselves from ransomware attacks. Firstly, they should ensure that their systems are patched immediately when updates to software becomes available. Use a antivirus software or a EDR/MDR Software such as SentinelOne (included for all our client endpoints). All systems should be configured by the principle of least privileged access. Businesses should also have mandatory password policies, use MFA and utilize tools that help protect users from opening emails and clicking on links that contain malware, as this is often how these attacks are carried out.
Finally, as a last line of defense have a reliable data back up / business continuity plan. Know where your data is, having onsite and offsite copies and backing up and testing the backups regularly so that they can recover from an attack if necessary.
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