With a digital landscape that is marred with hazards like viruses, spyware and identity theft, one threat in particular is on pace to become the most common and virulent threat on the Internet today. Commonly known as ransomware, it’s a software-based menace that is already costing businesses and individuals billions of dollars every single year.
What is ransomware?
Although the first reported ransomware attack actually took place in 1989 via the AIDS trojan horse virus, the threat didn’t really emerge into mainstream existence until the early 2000s. Since 2005, however, ransomware has become increasingly sophisticated at an alarming rate.
The idea behind ransomware is rather simple. Instead of a virus that quickly replicates itself across an entire system, modern ransomware attacks lock the users out of their systems through highly advanced encryption.
Once in place, the hackers demand a ransom to restore access. In some cases, access is never restored; even after giving in to the demands and paying the money.
As you might guess, ransomware is highly illegal. Since it amounts to digital extortion, hackers face serious consequences for facilitating such attacks. Unfortunately, many of the culprits are never found.
How does ransomware take control of a system?
Modern computers and networks are highly susceptible to ransomware. There are many methods for ransomware delivery, including:
- Suspicious email attachments: You should always be wary of opening email attachments, even if they’re from a trusted source. The original sender’s computer could be infected without their knowing, effectively making them a new host for the ransomware code. Also, attachments that come from a suspicious or unknown email address should always be ignored and, if possible, deleted from your inbox immediately.
- Fraudulent websites: Hackers can use websites to distribute ransomware to today’s computers and networks. To protect yourself, make sure you only download and install files from trusted and secure websites. In most cases, this is indicated by the “https” prefix instead of “http.”
- Fake software: Some of the sneakiest hackers are known to create fake software apps that are really nothing more than ransomware in disguise. Again, taking the proper precautions and only downloading software from trustworthy and reliable vendors is the best line of defense when it comes to avoiding fake and fraudulent software.
- User installation: In rare cases, particularly when a disgruntled employee has access to the company’s network, the employee can install ransomware intentionally. The worker doesn’t need to create the ransomware, simply downloading and installing an infected file is enough to lock an entire network behind the grip of ransomware.
We can help prevent ransomware attacks from entering your network.
As you can see, there are numerous avenues for ransomware to use. Making matters worse is the fact that modern computers and networks are never 100% protected against ransomware. Whether it comes through an accidental download or an intentional installation, it’s an ever-present threat that can seize control of nearly any system at any time.
But there are some steps you can take to mitigate many of these risks, including antivirus software and malware removal. Finally, don’t forget to update your computer with the latest updates and upgrades for your operating system. Contact the team at Think Tech Advisors to learn more about ransomware prevention strategies for your business.
