Are you worried about Ransomware attacks? If you are, you should know that your concerns aren’t misplaced. Ransomware attacks can be absolutely devastating.
If your computer is attacked, you could lose access to your most valuable data.
All this was highlighted with the recent global cyber attacks that have crippled many organisations, including the NHS. To read about the story of the your tech expert who managed to stop the attack from his bedroom, click here.
However, for your own safety, thankfully, there are a number of things you can do that will keep your devices safe. Follow these tips if you want to protect yourself.
6 Top Tips To Protect Yourself Against Ransomware
Back Up Your Important Files On A Regular Basis
The more frequently you back up your files, the less of a risk Ransomware poses. If you are infected with Ransomware, and you have to wipe your device, you’ll still be able to get all of your valuable files back.
Make Sure You Have The Right Kind Of Protection
If you’re not running some anti-virus software, you should change that. Use a program that can keep dangerous files from wreaking havoc on your system.
With the right anti-virus software, Ransomware files will be quarantined before they can cause any damage.
Knowing how to choose a good hosting provider will also help to up your level of security online.
Be Careful When Reading Your Email
Many of the recent Ransomware attacks have been spread through email. If you receive a message from an unknown sender, you shouldn’t open the attachments that they send. Take the time to verify the sender first.
If you’re unable to verify the source of a message, you should delete both the email and the attachment.
To learn more about how ransomware can infect your computer, read this article.
Don’t Click Unidentified Links
You shouldn’t click on every link that you see. If you click on a bad link, you could wind up installing Ransomware on your own computer.
Before you click on a link, you should look at the URL. See if you recognise the site that it comes from. If you receive a link to a strange site, you should just ignore it.
You need to be sceptical of all links, even ones that are sent to you from friends on social media. Hackers will often target social media profiles. If a person on your friend’s list gets hacked, the hacker could use their account to send dangerous links to you.
Disconnect From The Internet If You Have To
If your computer has started to download a strange file, and you can’t seem to stop the download, you should disconnect your device from the internet. If you do this, the download will not be able to complete.
Once you’ve closed out your browser, deleted the file and restarted your computer, you should be able to connect to the internet again once the files have been safely removed from your computer.
Improve Your Current Firewall Protections
There’s a good chance that your current firewall isn’t as strong as it needs to be. Strengthen your current protections. If you have the right kind of firewall set up, you’ll be able to prevent Ransomware infections from occurring. It’ll be easy for you to keep your devices safe.
Ransomware is dangerous, but there are plenty of ways to keep your devices safe. As long as you take the right precautions, you should be able to steer clear of these kinds of attacks. Don’t let Ransomware cause problems for you.
If you have been infected and there is nothing you can do yourself to resolve the situation then you will need to get the outside help of a professional IT support team who can help to recover your computer and files. You can contact IT support specialists in your area to see what they can do for you.
IT support professionals will be able to take over the problem for you and start to recover your important documents. They can also help you to remove malware safely if you need to remove it quickly.
Of course, there is no guarantee or a complete and full recovery when dealing with ransomeware. However, working with a professional is certainly your best bet of a resolution.