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How Can I Protect My Windows Machine From Ransomware?
Posted on July 16, 2021
How Can I Protect My Windows Machine From Ransomware?
As the person who bears the responsibility of administering your company’s network, you have done everything you can to ensure that business operations continue as normal as possible. However, many businesses and organizations had to migrate the majority of their workforce to their homes after the global COVID-19 pandemic. While there were many adjustments and updates implemented to ensure business operations would still run smoothly, one thing that was not taken into account by every business or organization was the exposure of cyberattacks.
Lack of focus regarding these measures has cost many businesses and organizations, dearly. Cyberattacks are more dangerous to those who do not have the proper security measures or protection in place. Those who are most affected by ransomware attacks are the users. Have you thought about protecting your Windows machines from ransomware? Nobody ever wants to think about cyberattacks and what could happen if a Windows machine is infected with ransomware.
Ransomware attacks are used by cybercriminals to intrude on computers and gain access to confidential data, and the data is ultimately held onto for ransom to extort as much money as possible from the owners. While many users have paid the ransom to get back their data, no guarantee paying the ransom will result in the return of your data.
A variety of things can happen as a result of a ransomware attack, ranging from prolonged downtime to thousands or millions of dollars being lost. The effects of ransomware are significantly worse on computers that hold confidential and sensitive information, such as business machines. Fortunately, there are several ways you can make sure that machines are protected against ransomware.
To make sure that your Windows machines are protected as thoroughly as possible, you will want to consider how to defend all of your machines against different types of ransomware. If you want to ensure that your business’s data is protected against a ransomware attack, it is important to understand how to protect Windows machines from such ransomware.
Do Not Access Suspicious Websites
An illegal website can harm your Windows machines, but many users still decide to access them. Maybe you visited a suspicious website in the past and nothing happened, but you should not try to press your luck any further. Hackers have a desire to harm sites on the web to steal data from users’ machines. Ransomware can also be transmitted in the same manner, through a suspicious website that may ask you to take an action that may not seem out of the ordinary, such as downloading a file or downloading an extension to play a video or audio file.
Make Sure Systems and Software Are Up-To-Date
One of the most important things you can do to prevent ransomware from taking your Windows machines hostage is to make sure your system, software, applications, etc are updated to the latest version. There are several things that you run on your machines that need to be up-to-date. When you choose to make sure every aspect of your Windows machines is updated, you will have the peace of mind you need knowing that your computers have a basic safeguard against ransomware. Since developers are constantly working to make sure that the latest developments are being marketed, being aware of the latest developments and downloading them are key parts of protecting the computers.
Backup Your Data
Another step you can take to ensure your machines are protected from ransomware is to perform regular backups of your data. In many cases, cybercriminals will take control of your files leaving you no choice but to pay the ransom and hope that your files will be given to you. If you have sensitive data stored elsewhere, you can regularly backup your data and reduce your chances of becoming a victim of a ransomware attack that will lead you to pay a ransom fee. Cloud-based solutions are also a great alternative for storing data. With cloud-based solutions, your data will be stored within secure servers, and you will not have to spend money on on-site servers or drives.
Do Not Release Personal Information
One of the most important things you should do when answering phone calls, emails, or other messages is to avoid giving out personal information. If you have to share personal information, it is important to only share that information with people you completely trust. Your personal information can include your name, date of birth, address, and more.
Have Anti-Virus Protection
A high-quality antivirus solution is an affordable and effective way to ensure that your computer is thoroughly protected against ransomware. Your anti-virus solution would act as much more than a firewall. If the firewall fails to protect your machine for any reason, the anti-virus solution can detect any irregularities and eliminate any suspicious activity before it harms your computer. Your anti-virus solution can also scan emails, websites, and documents for malicious content. Anti-viruses will protect your machines at all times to make sure there are no problems with your machines.
The best way to protect your machines against ransomware is to avoid infection in the first place. Ransomware encrypts your business’s files, but having a plan in place will help you minimize the damage. Try to imagine what your business can experience if all its files were encrypted and you had no way to get them back.
While most people will think of natural disasters as the main concern for the loss of data, but any form of ransomware can prove that such havoc can be caused by other sources. If you want to identify any trouble spots within your networks, we recommend performing a risk assessment of your internal and external threats. When you perform a risk assessment, you will be able to determine the best path to take to resolve those threats.
Contact Techsperts LLC today at (201) 262-5066 to schedule a no-obligation free consultation with Techsperts to learn how you can protect your New Jersey business from ransomware attacks.