Businesses in Florida have a lot to contend with, including the increase in ransomware attacks. You need to be vigilant and proactive in your efforts to defend your confidential data and the future of your business. However, the trouble is that a lot of companies feel like they do not know where to begin when it comes to ransomware, but don’t panic, as we have got you covered.
The best thing that you can do to protect yourself is to team up with an experienced IT company who can help you to put in the best measures to protect your company.
What is Ransomware?
Ransomware is one of many types of cybersecurity breaches that happen today. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that has been created to block access to a computer system until a sum of money has been paid. However, there is no guarantee that you will be given access back even if you do pay the ransom, so do keep this in mind.
Ransomware Attacks in Florida
Sadly, there have been a number of ransomware attacks made on businesses and organizations throughout the United States. In one attack, Kaseya, a technology management software company, was attacked and the hackers changed a tool called VSA, which clients used for managing their small business technology. They were then able to encrypt the files of those providers’ customers simultaneously.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. Earlier this year, we saw that a large school district in Florida was hit by a ransomware attack. District data was encrypted and the criminal group demanded a ransom of $40 million, otherwise, they would delete the files and post personal information of the employees and students online.
How Can You Stop Ransomware from Happening?
Needless to say, the best thing that you can do is take the required steps to prevent a data breach from happening at your business. There are a few things that we recommend here:
- Make sure users and employees are educated on security – There is only one place to begin, and this is with education. Did you know that the majority of data breaches today are insider attacks? This does not mean that employees caused breaches on purpose (although this can happen). However, as employees are not as educated as they should be on security matters, they can make errors that leave businesses open to an attack.
- Ensure all software is updated – You also need to keep your software up-to-date with all of the latest security patches. System weaknesses are discovered when technology advances, and this is why updates need to be installed whenever prompted.
- Use a multi-layered approach to security – There is not a single security solution that will protect you fully; you need to use a number of different approaches. This includes using a firewall, a reputable antivirus program, encryption, and more.
