The recent WannaCry ransomware infected hundreds of thousands of computers around the world. Most notably, the British National Health System (NHS) was severely impacted when thousands of doctor and hospital computers were rendered useless by WannaCry.
For the uninitiated, ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid.
Paying the ransom is no guarantee that you'll get your PC data back either.
So what can you do to prevent a Ransomware attack?
The best defense is a good offense.
Here are our recommendations to prevent a ransomware or other malware from infecting your PC or mobile device:
Ransomware attacks, like other malware and viruses, often exploit well-known operating system vulnerabilities. In most cases, there are already updates available to patch the weaknesses of the operating system. But you need to ensure that your PC is up-to-date. Ensure that your PC is set to automatically install updates and check that your PC is current.
2. Don't Click Suspicious Emails, Attachments or Social Media Links
Stop an attack by avoiding suspicious and unexpected emails, attachments and unknown links on social media. Ransomware often spreads from PC to PC by email. Always be wary of suspicious or unexpected emails and attachments. And with the rise of social media, be sure of attachments and unknown websites from social media posts on Twitter and Facebook.
3. Back Up, Back Up, Back Up
If you love it, back it up. Don't let your cherished family photos, videos and financial records disappear. Back up your data consistently. And keep copies in other locations than where your computer is located. You should also retain all operating system disks in case the it needs to be reloaded. If you own a business, be sure you have a disaster recovery plan in place that also requires backups and offsite storage.
4. Install and Update Anti-Virus software
Maybe you think it can't happen to you. Whatever the reason, be sure to have a legitimate up-to-date anti-virus software installed on your PC. And check periodically that it is still active and has the most current virus signature files loaded to discover the latest viruses and malware.
5. Disconnect PC if infected
If you think you've been infected by Ransomware on your PC or other PCs on your home or business network, you can limit the damage by disconnecting each PC from WiFi and/or the cable connection. This will help to limit the spread of the infection to other machines, especially via email and contacts.
Hopefully, you'll never face the harsh reality of a ransomware attack. But with these precautions, you limit your risk.
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