Understanding Ransomware Threats, And How To Keep Your Business Safe From It

Almost everyone with a website has probably heard about ransomware at some point in time. But very few know what ransomware is and how dangerous it can be for your business and online data.

Ransomware is not just a virus that causes some glitches in your systems. Ransomware is a strategic well-calculated cyberattack that can potentially cost massive losses to a business. That’s why any person who is collecting, storing, and processing sensitive data online must have a sufficient understanding of ransomware dangers.

So, if you have been wondering what Ransomware is and why you need antivirus ransomware to safeguard your data from it, you have reached the right place. In the following discussion, you will find sufficient information about ransomware that will help you better understand its challenges and best free anti ransomware solutions. So, let’s get on with it.

1. What Is Ransomware?

The most valuable questions of all: What exactly is ransomware?

Well, ransomware is malware used by cybercriminals to encrypt the data of your systems. Once the data is encrypted, it will become inaccessible to anyone unless precisely decrypted, which is quite a complicated task as only the people responsible for it- the cybercriminals, may know the encryption codes.

You may be wondering: But why would someone do this? Just to harass your smooth-running business?

Nope.

If you are keen enough, the name Ransomware may ring some alarms for you. Yes, the cybercriminals will demand a ransom to free your data, thus the name ransomware. In other words, your data is held hostage by criminals, and they propose that they’ll return it if you pay them the demanded amount of money.

2. Is It Real? How Often Does a Ransomware Attack Occur? 

Yes, ransomware is very real, and it is as dangerous as it can be for an online business. There have been several incidents of ransomware attacks where the victims ended up paying huge sums of money to the criminals. Usually, cybercriminals demand money in the form of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

Cybercriminals are cunning, and they carefully choose industries that require frequent access to the data to continue their business activities. The healthcare sector is one such industry frequently targetted by cybercriminals. Several reports suggest that the criminals may be deliberately targetting this industry. Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in California, in one such incident, was affected by a cyberattack, which delayed critical patient care. Eventually, the hospital had to pay $17,000 to get access to their files.

However, ransomware attacks can and do occur in every industry. In 2018 alone, businesses lost over 10 billion dollars due to ransomware attacks. So, the danger of ransomware infection is very real and impactful for any online business.

3. How Ransomware Reaches Your Systems?

Cybercriminals use several ways to infect your systems with ransomware. However, a successful attack often occurs due to some negligence on the victim’s side as well.

The most common method used by cybercriminals is email. The malicious emails look highly legitimate and prompt the user to click a link or to open an attachment given in the email. Even an accidental click on the link or attachment will deliver the malware to your system.

Ransomware may also land into your systems through malicious websites that contain the virus. Someone visiting a malicious website frequently through the business systems may open the gates for malware to infect the systems.

4. What Damages Can Ransomware Cause?

A business has to suffer a lot of hassles once a ransomware attack occurs. An organization may lose money due to several reasons such as,

• Having to pay according to the cybercriminals’ demands despite having no guarantee that you’ll retain access to your data.
• When a ransomware attack occurs, the organization has to shut the systems, resulting in downtimes.
• An organization may also have to replace infected devices.
• Ransomware attack raises doubts among customers about data security, cause reputational damages to an organization.
• Organizations also have to invest in new security measures, employee training, and other security measures post a cyberattack.
• Countries have very strict laws to protect consumer data. So, if negligence or lack of appropriate cybersecurity is proved, organizations may be subjected to legal penalties as well, along with the other losses.

5. What Are the Types of Ransomware?

There are several types of ransomware that have different effects upon infection.

6. Scareware: As the name suggests, this malware generates a pop-up with a scare message, often saying that your antivirus has detected a virus infection. It will ask you to update the antivirus and make payment for it.
7. Screen Locker: This type of ransomware hacks the operating system and locks the screen, restricting all access to the system. It often displays a message that legal authorities have locked your system due to detection of illegal activity, and you must pay a fine to get access to your files.
8. Encrypting Malware: This is the most dangerous of all types. Some of the largest and most damaging cyberattacks used encrypting malware. This ransomware hacks into your systems and encrypts all the data, making it impossible to restore the data. In such attacks, the cybercriminals demand a huge sum of money to release the data.
9. How to Keep Your Business Safe from Ransomware?

To protect yourself from Ransomware attacks, you need to start by training your employees with cybersecurity practices. Some of the best practices are,

• Never open unknown and malicious looking emails.
• Ignore and delete emails with threatening texts or bad grammar.
• Regularly back up your data to avoid loss of data.
• Use a strong and complex password at all data access points.
• Never use Public wifi for business activities.
• Always verify the security of websites. If a site is not secure, immediately exit the website.

However, it is not possible to fully eliminate the possibility of a ransomware attack just by implementing practices. That’s why you need reliable antivirus software as well to ensure maximum safety.

7. Best Anti-Ransomware?

Well, if you are wondering how to get the best free anti ransomware software, we have an effective solution for you.

Behold Defencebyte’s PeerLess Anti-Ransomware Defender Software for Computer Systems. Our antivirus ransomware software is the best available software today.

It is lightweight, easy to access, and simple to install software that provides top-quality cybersecurity against ransomware attacks.

So, if you want the best security for your data, visit https://www.defencebyte.com/ and get a free trial for our Peerless Anti-Ransomware Defender Software.