By Ransomware attacks have been increased by over 250% during the first couple of months of 2017, according to a recent report by a team of researchers. It is true that these days the cyber-attacks are on the high. You cannot say that you are safe unless you are taking proper precautions. right from small to huge sized organizations are vulnerable today. And even if you are an individual, your computer too can get hacked and you may become a victim of cyber-attacks. So, the point is nobody is safe and you need to be careful.
More and more companies are using anti-ransomware software to ensure that their data is safe. Not just one country or region but half of the world is becoming a victim of cyber-attacks. If you have never been so concerned about your online security then it is time that you take a step now.
What to know about Ransomware?
Ransomware is kind of a malicious software that takes control of the data files of your computer and holds them for ransom. The software can easily control the data files by encrypting them and averting access without the proper decryption key. This key is characteristically only supplied once you pay the ransom sum that is often requested via bitcoin.
More often than not, employers or the professionals do not really realize they have become a victim until users begin to complain about an inability to access their documents and information. Once this occurs, IT support typically finds the extensions of essential files renamed with the ransomware variant. As an example, be happy would rename file extensions to “.BH.”
The constant rise in cybercriminals’ usage of ransomware is associated to the increased popularity of bitcoin. The bitcoin services are pseudonymous, it means that there is no name or person associated with the bitcoin account and ownership is formed up using a bitcoin address. This makes it really challenging , if not impossible, to discover the account holders, forming up the perfect currency for cybercriminals.
The comparatively small ransom amounts demanded are by design — the malware designers try to infect as many computers as possible, and to get paid as quickly as possible. By keeping ransoms to a couple of hundred or a few thousand dollars, they hope victims are going to pay quickly rather than give up access to their files for days or even weeks while searching for an anti-ransomware tool.
How can you stay safe?
There are experts and professionals in the cyber world who recommend that you must not pay the ransomware in case you have been hacked. Even if there is any way to determine if you’ve paid the ransom, there is no assurance that the hackers is going to return the files to you unhurt, in case returned at all. professionals also recommend you take the below given precautions:
- Maintain software and system updates and patches.
- Don’t download files from people you don’t know.
- Turn on auto-updaters, if available.
- Don’t click on links or attachments that you don’t recognize.
- Back up your documents regularly.
Remember, if you have a proper software installed in your systems, you can be sure that there is no threat to your data or anything. of course, you need to ensure that your software is updated at all times. Or things can turn out to be really troublesome for you.
Check Compatibility
You know what, using any random software is not the solution. you need to be really careful about what you choose and why. you need to be really sure about the options that you pick. Remember, if you are not taking proper precautions, you may end up using a random software that is not even effective for your software.
Once you check up the compatibility of the software with your systems, you can be sure that your computers are safe and effective. remember, compatibility is one thing that is a must for your systems. Sometimes, people simply choose a software considering that it has all features but don’t realise that the compatibility is also important. Having so many features in your software is a good thing. But if the software does not have compatibility with your computers or the platforms you are using; things can turn out to be problematic.
Go for a Trial First
No matter how advanced or good software you are considering, you need to be really thoughtful about the workability of the tool. One thing that is a sure here is the trial. Make sure that you ask the provider for the trial. Once the software has trial, you can be sure that you get to know how it all works. Trial will get you an understanding of the compatibility of the software, its smoothness and workability. Hence, you can be sure that your platforms work effectively with the software. trial gets you the luxury of having a first-hand experience with the software. Trials are always there if you choose a good software. Remember, when you are getting a software, checking it out in advance is not a bad idea.
You Can Even Consider Insurance
Ransomware attacks may fall under your cyber insurance policy’s “cyber extortion” coverage and is generally believed to be “first-party” coverage. A policy with just third-party coverage would probably leave a company uninsured when they are the victims of any sort of ransomware attack. However, when you are aware of these gaps in your policy, you can easily take action to fill them. Most of the cyber insurance policies are much customizable, permitting your company to form a coverage solution that best fits your particular risks.
Conclusion
So, whether you are concerned about your computers in your organisation or your personal computer, you can check out online free antivirus for pc and ensure that you protect your data right away. After all, it is about your overall working and safety. What is the thing if you have confidential stuff in your systems but they get stolen? Once you protect your systems with a proper software, you actually feel peaceful and at ease.
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