How To Protect Your Company Against A Cyber Attack By Tilly Holland

We have all had to recently change how we work, with many of us setting up (hopefully temporary) offices in our own homes. These changes in our work habits, though, can cause us to make mistakes we might not have ordinarily made. 

With staff turning to the likes of Dropbox, Google Drive and Zoom, many organisations are finding it difficult to monitor what their employees are doing. The emphasis is, therefore, more with the employee to ensure they are following suggested best practice so as not to expose their organisation to attack. 

Below are 3 tips around preventative measures to take to keep you and your company safe from ransomware advised by Ontrack marketing manager Tilly Holland.

Email security is King

Phishing email continues to be one of the main entry points for ransomware viruses, especially in the case of targeted attacks. Therefore, securing this primary source of vulnerability is essential to everybody who runs a network or connects to the internet. Most individuals trigger a ransomware attack by opening what looks like a normal email that contains the virus in a document, photo, video or another type of file. You should always avoid opening an email from an unknown sender. If you receive an email from an unknown source, inform your company data security advisor or IT team immediately. 

Make your network and IT environment secure

When ransomware infects a single computer it is undoubtedly a serious problem. But, when it spreads throughout the network, it can become a nightmare for the IT department and endanger the entire business. Companies that have not already done so should consider implementing a data security software program, which checks all incoming emails before the intended recipient receives them. Such a solution will dramatically reduce the risk that a virus spreads inside a company network. Additionally, IT administrators and management should consider implementing network security software, which automatically monitors the network and its files for threats. The solution will also alert administrators if a ransomware attack is trying to encrypt vast quantities of files over the network. Finally, always update your software and operating systems with the latest patches whenever they are available. 

Ensure you have an up-to-date backup

Protecting yourself also means having a backup of your data. A highly secure backup is a crucial element in preparing your organisation for a ransomware attack. You should test your backup thoroughly and frequently, but most importantly, it must also be easy to restore data. This means that if you are hit by any form of malware you will be able to rebuild your system quickly and hassle-free. 

By undertaking the above, you and your colleagues can work from home with a degree of confidence and focus back on navigating the business through the current pandemic so that you have a brighter future.