
Cyber Security Safety
What is Malware/Ransomware?
Malware is software that is
installed on your computer without your permission and designed to cause harm
and exploit systems and users. Malware can cause applications to fail, break
system files, lockout users, leak data, steal passwords and more. Malware can
be downloaded through legitimate software that has been infected, by visiting a
compromised or malicious website, email and more.
In 2019, the biggest cyber threat
was Ransomware. 2020 is projected to have even more attacks with more
sophisticated ransomware software. This type of attack has caused major
problems in Governments, Hospitals, Big Business’ and more. You can expect more
home-user based campaigns in 2020. This malware tricks users into installing it
but once installed, it will attack every system it can on the network,
encrypting all applications and files rendering them useless. Ransomware will
attempt to have the infected person or business pay a ransom in exchange for
their data back. The ransom typically ranges from hundreds to thousands or
more.
If you pay the ransom, you may or
may not get your data back. You could even be re-infected in addition to
possible identity theft and other problems. If you pay the ransom, you are
helping the wrong doers with their campaign and helping fund future attacks.
DO NOT PAY THE RANSOM.
How can you protect yourself?
Maintenance
Keeping your computer maintained and
updated so that it functions correctly is the first step in protecting
yourself. If your computer is outdated in any way or not functioning correctly,
it puts you at serious risk. Remove software you don’t use, keep your files
organized (Not on desktop) and run system maintenance tasks. Your computer comes
with several tools to help you with keeping it running correctly or you can
seek professional help if you’re not sure how to do this. It is best to run
maintenance tasks as often as possible and do a deeper cleaning every 8 to 15
months.
Security Software
You should have security software on
your computer. This helps prevent almost all attacks and keeps you and your
data safer. Windows 10 comes with free security that is pretty decent called
Windows Defender. If you want more specialized software, you can look into
Trend Micro, Mcafee and Norton. Those are some of the big names out there. Try
to avoid 3rd party FREE software as most of these are fakes. If
possible, stick to reputable companies. Remember, using Mac or Linux does not
mean you’re safe. You should use security on any operating system.
Additional Protection
Some best practices are to have
multiple layers of security to act as a kind of failsafe. If you are attacked
by malware and it gets through your security software, what next. If your
computer hasn’t been patched yet or if the patch isn’t available, it can cause
bug problems for you and your data.
We suggest you install Ransomware
protection from Acronis. Acronis will allow you to protect yourself in two big
ways. It will scan your computer for ransomware attacks and it will try to stop
them if they get through. If things still go wrong, it can quickly restore
encrypted files, so you don’t have to worry about losing your data. Backups are
critical so you definitely want to have some kind of backup solution. Acronis
is safe from ransomware and a great way to protect yourself. What’s better?
Acronis offers a FREE solution to protect you from Ransomware with 5GB of
backup storage. Learn more at the following link.
Below
link will open in a new window/tab to an external website. Their Privacy, Terms
or Other legal information is different.
https://www.acronis.com/en-us/active-protection/
Common Sense
Almost every infection on a computer
is caused by visiting a website that is infected or clicking links and
downloading files from emails. If you do not know where the website goes or who
sent the email, proceed with caution. We suggest you delete emails that look to
good to be true, are full of spelling and grammar errors or require you to
download files (especially with passwords). We also suggest that instead of
clicking links, visit these websites by going directly to the website via your
browser. If you get an email from your bank, don’t click any links, instead
open your browser and visit their website directly.
Note: Just because the email comes
from someone does not mean they are the sender. Their email could have been spoofed
or hacked. Contact the real sender if things seem off.
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- by Dennis
- on January 21, 2020
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