Ransomware

Desktop computers, laptops, mobile devices and cloud storage accounts are all vulnerable to ransomware attacks. An attacker gains access to your devices or cloud storage accounts using stolen credentials or other means, and encrypts your files so that you can no longer access them. 

The ransomware is often designed to spread virally across all devices connected to your network. A message is then displayed on screen, demanding a ransom to de-crypt your data.

The best defense against this type of attack is to perform frequent backups of your critical business data. Use air-gapped or immutable storage to ensure that your backups cannot be infected by the ransomware.

Actions

  1. Don’t engage or pay the attackers. Responding to on screen messages by attackers may only draw attention to your network. Ransomware infections are spread automatically, so the cyber attackers may not yet know that your network has been compromised.
  2. Isolate any devices that appear to be infected but do not switch them off. Affected devices should be completely disconnected from the network, so plug out network cables and disable Wifi and Bluetooth connections. Disable Wifi on your router if necessary. Leave devices plugged in, as switching them off may corrupt your data.
  3. Notify the person responsible for your company’s cybersecurity.
  4. Perform virus and malware scans on all other computers and devices used by your company. If any threats are detected, isolate these devices from the network