Protect yourself from Ransomware

Jun 15, 2021

Ransomware has been in the news a lot lately. The reason is it is more common than you think and organizations seem to turn a blind eye to it.

On average there is a ransomware attack every 11 seconds and the global cost is estimated to reach $20 billion in 2021. 95% of profits accrued from ransomware were laundered through the Bitcoin currency. Be very suspicious if somebody wants to be paid in crypto-currency.

Protect yourself against ransomware

What is Ransomware

Ransomware is malware that encrypts your files or stops you from using your computer until you pay money (a ransom) for them to be unlocked. If your computer is connected to a network the ransomware may also spread to other computers or storage devices on the network. Ransomware can target any PC—whether it’s a home computer, PCs on an enterprise network, or servers used by a government agency.

Some of the ways you can get infected by ransomware include:

  • Visiting unsafe, suspicious, or fake websites. The common one is a web page saying for example that Microsoft has detected a problem and you need to call a number immediately (followed by sinister music or a voice repeating that your world will end if you do not follow instructions).  46% of ransomware operators impersonate authority figures like the FBI/Police, Microsoft, the Tax Man. Among those attacks, 82% lock the victim’s computer without encrypting files.

 

  • Opening file attachments that you weren’t expecting or from people you don’t know. Phishing emails are the cause of two-thirds of ransomware infections.

 

  • Opening or responding to malicious or bad links in emails, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media posts, or in instant messenger or SMS chats. Opening an invoice or request for payment from somebody you do not know (check company spelling, it is a dead give away since may spammers can’t spell correctly, English is not their native language).

How can I protect myself

    • First and foremost make certain that all your devices and software are all up-to-date with the latest patches ( PC, router, anti-malware, etc..)  Be vigilant, some malware attacks are easy to recognize, for example a fake email and webpage because they have bad spelling, or just look unusual. Look out for strange spellings of company names (like “PayePal” instead of “PayPal”) or unusual spaces, symbols, or punctuation (like “iTunesCustomer Service” instead of “iTunes Customer Service”) or unknow or uncommon domains (Like Fisrtbank.io instead of Firstbank.com)
  • Always have backup of your important files. Filopto has a built-in Anti -ransomware backup service that can help with this. Contact Accra Med Software Inc. for more details

 

  • Activate some basic protection, Windows 10 comes FREE with the built-in defender anti malware software which when properly configured can provide protection against ransomware and other malware.

 

  • Install some Free anti malware protection in your browsers. Most browsers support the Free MalwareBytes Browser Guard or other similar products. These products can block known malware/ransomware before they can infect you.

 

  • Scan your emails for fraudulent emails (many premium email services Google/Office 365/Outlook/third party/etc.. provides some enhanced protection against malware, activate these options if using these services).

 

  • In Windows 10 turn on Controlled Folder Access to protect your important local folders from unauthorized programs like ransomware or other malware.