How to protect yourself from ransomware

Just like all other systems, computer systems have vulnerabilities that malicious people exploit for their own gain. These IT systems can be corrupted through the infection of software that interferes with the normal operation of the operating system or other applications. There is a particular form of malware commonly referred to as ransomware.

Ransomware can be broadly defined as a type of malware that denies an authorized computer user normal access to their system or files. It operates by locking out the user and demands z ransom to be paid for normal access to be restored.

One of the most common ways of getting infected by ransomware is through malicious spam mail if the user unwittingly clicks on the mail the may start a process that installs the ransomware on the computer. The software itself can be even hidden within PDF documents. It is we highly recommend scanning all attachments and immediately deleting unsolicited mail, particularly, email that comes with promises of winnings in competitions that the users are not participating.

Its worth’s to emphasize on vigilance when browsing online. It is recommended to always keep your browser up to date and heed the warnings when the browser warns you of a potentially malicious site. Sometimes the infection can occur as easily as clicking on an advertisement.

Screen lockers

This is a type of ransomware that completely shuts you out of your computer. It takes over your screen preventing you from logging in until payment is made to the perpetrator. It is a particularly devastating type of ransomware and very difficult to deal with.

Encrypting ransomware

This type of ransomware denies the legitimate user access to their file system by encrypting it and password and coding them. The perpetrators then demand payment if they’re to supply you with the decryption key. Due to the security of operating systems, it becomes nearly impossible to try and reverse engineer the files and break the encryption code without the assistance of the perpetrators.

Prevention

• Always ensure that your software is updated with the latest security measures.
• Do not click on unsolicited attachments and emails.
• Maintain a regular off-site backup of your data that you can restore your sis used to restore your system in case you’re hacked.
• Practice safe browsing methods when on the internet
• Backup Your Systems, Locally & In the Cloud. …
• Segment Network Access. …
• Early Threat Detection Systems. …
• Install Anti Malware / Ransomware Software. …
• Run Frequent Scheduled Security Scans. …
• Create Restore & Recovery Points. …
• Train Your Employees and Educate Yourself. …
• Enforce Strong Password Security.

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