How to Protect Your Company from a Ransomware Attack

1. Educate Your Employees on the Dangers of Links

Even if you pay for ransom, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get your data back – at least 17 percent of companies pay and get nothing back.

You can help them out by doing the following:

• Establish an email security policy that is clear on which link you can click and you should NOT.
• Disallow downloading or software installation on company devices (via user permissions).
• Train employees on ransomware and phishing. Be sure to provide examples.
• Have your employees do phishing simulations.
• You can start with a planned exercise using a free tool like Google’s phishing quiz, but phishing simulation software designed for ongoing training and education (like you can get from Symbol Security) gives you data so you know where your employees are most vulnerable.

2. Keep Your Systems and Antivirus Up to Date

Updated antivirus and anti-malware software represent your front line of defense against threats like Ransomware. Both types of software have access to large libraries of known threats that are being constantly updated. By keeping things up to date on your end, you’ll not just keep your systems safe but also help contribute to the library.

3. Have Procedures in Place for Suspicious Emails or Network Activity

Did you know that around 1 in 99 emails is a phishing attack? Spam filters catch some of those, but what will your employees do when a phishing email lands in their inbox? Your ultra-efficient, multitasking workers are a target because hackers expect them to be distracted, busy, and stressed. Create a way for your employees to quickly and easily report suspicious emails or network activity that they might spot. Not only this will allow you to compile your own database of threats, but it will also help you spot threats much quicker.

4. Backup Your Data

• Keeping your data backed up is one of the best ways to protect data from Ransomware threats.
• Services such as cloud storage are secure and convenient. But the best security practice is to always have more than a backup and not just in the cloud.

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