According to Statista, 68.5% of businesses in 2021 became a victim of ransomware. Such a statistic shows an increase from the past years and is the highest reported figure thus far.
The metric also shows that cybercriminals continue to employ ransomware to exploit people and companies for their benefit.
What Is Ransomware?
Ransomware is malware that uses encryption protocols to prevent victims from accessing their information. The perpetrators then demand a ransom to give back access to these files.
Once ransomware successfully infects a system, it works to encrypt the target documents set out by cybercriminals. It may also exploit connected networks to spread across entire systems and organizations.
Most ransomware demands come with a deadline. Victims that fail to pay in time will risk losing access to their files forever.
How To Protect Against Ransomware
Seeing how severe the consequences are in case of a successful ransomware attack, it’s only reasonable to find ways to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some tips to consider:
Constantly back up your files and maintain an accessible repository of them.
Develop an incident response plan and IT support policy.
Increase online safety by ensuring your systems are secure against ransomware.
Train your internal teams to identify and avoid potential ransomware.
Conclusion
Ransomware is one of the biggest cybersecurity threats today. That’s why companies need to learn how these malicious attacks work and adapt to the evolving methods of cyber criminals. Some better ways to stay safe from ransomware include backing up your files, developing an incident response plan, hardening your systems, and improving team organizational awareness.
Suppose you’re looking for a managed services provider that can help improve your security against ransomware. In that case, BetterWorld Technology can lend a hand. Contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance.