When it comes to looking out for threats to your business’s cyber security in 2022, keeping yourself and your employees educated on what to look out for to keep your network safe can be challenging. Hackers are only getting more and more subtle and sophisticated, after all, and threats can be pretty easy to look over. However, something as simple as clicking on an email link can result in your entire network or data being jeopardized, so understanding ransomware and how to avoid it is integral for you and your employees alike. 

The Best Cybersecurity Services for You

Before we discuss how to spot and avoid letting hackers and ransomware from infiltrating your system, know that there is an easy way to give your business a little extra protection. When you use cybersecurity systems from GoodSuite, you and your business will receive next-level protection from ransomware and more. See what we can do to keep your business safe today! Now, let’s get into the education aspect of protecting yourself from ransomware. 

What is a Ransomware Attack? 

For those who don’t know what ransomware is, this sort of attack is when a malicious software takes over your system or network and denies you access to your data or files until you pay those who installed it a “ransom”, which is how it gets its name. These attacks can be through things as simple as phishing emails with links or downloads that then allow the ransomware to attack your network or data. 

These malicious emails can be either easy to spot for some, or almost undetectable. If an employee isn’t educated on what to look for in their emails to spot ransomware, it can be easy to accidentally click on these malicious links. 

As people become more educated on how to spot phishing emails, hackers are only becoming more sophisticated and complex in their techniques, which result in hard-to-detect emails or other strategies, and can cost your business even more money to get rid of. More sophisticated hackers are even selling “Ransomware Kits” on the dark web to less experienced individuals to conduct their own ransomware attacks. 

What Does Ransomware Do? 

Once ransomware has been introduced to your system, it will lock up all company computers, files, and databases – everything. The malware will encrypt this data so no one but the hacker can get to it, and will either ask you to pay a ransom to get it back or threaten to release everything (especially confidential information) online unless you pay up. 

It does not seem like a big deal to have your information leaked online, but it will cause damage to your reputation and make you appear unreliable or insecure to your clients or fellow businesses. 

Losing access to your files and confidential information also stops your employees and business from being able to function day to day, or be able to conduct business at all due to the critical information and files you’ve lost. 

What Do I Do if My Business Experiences a Ransomware Attack? 

If your business’s data or files are being held hostage by a ransomware cyberattack, you should never pay your attackers to retrieve them. Though you may immediately panic and pay to get your data back, these hackers will then only learn that you’re willing to pay up, and can even leave behind residual ransomware once you get your files back to attack again. Additionally, many times hackers will not even release your information to you once you’ve paid their ransom. 

How Do I Protect My Business? 

As we said prior, the best way to protect your business and data from hackers and ransomware is by using the best cybersecurity services for your needs. Discover GoodSuite’s low-cost and high-reward cybersecurity services to see how we can protect your business today.