Never before has security been a bigger issue than in recent years due to the uptick in cyber threats. If financial giants, such as Equifax, can get attacked, so can any organization that doesn’t pay attention to security. Our managed IT services experts in Denver can help you protect your business from cyber attacks.

Rise of Ransomware

Ransomware has been around for awhile, but it continues to grow as a threat to businesses, as it’s easy for hackers to orchestrate. Employee error is often the reason ransomware infects business networks. Workers are baited by hackers who impersonate trusted sources, commonly using a similar domain or logo. The attacker invites the worker to click an attachment using a number of deceptive techniques, such as offering a free coupon.

All it takes is one wrong click to install ransomware on a computer. Once installed, it will block the user from gaining access past a sign on the screen that contains instructions on how to restore access. The demand is usually for a certain amount of money to be paid with cryptocurrency. If the victim fails to make a payment by the deadline, the attacker destroys the data and tries to disable the victim’s hardware.

Specific ransomware programs are tracked in the IT community so that security officials can be on the lookout to block these intrusions. Popcorn Time was the name of a notorious ransomware bug in 2016. It was unique in the sense that it gave users the option to infect other devices, which potentially increased the attacker’s illegal earnings. By choosing to infect two other computers, the victim could bypass paying the ransom as long as the two other victims paid the ransom.

How to Avoid Ransomware

The best way to avoid ransomware is to take steps that a managed IT services in Denver would take. You need a multi-layered security solution that includes state-of-the-art software and strict policies on approved websites, applications and emails to click. This strategy reduces the risks of cyber threats and can potentially make your business more productive.

The choice of security software is often shaped by budget, as there are different levels of quality and sophistication. In general, the bigger your infrastructure, the more robust security you need to protect it.

Make sure that you are always using updated software, as older software poses vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. You may hire managed IT services experts in Denver that use modern monitoring software to detect and block unwanted visitors on the network.

Since employees serve as the last line of defense against cybercriminals, it’s important that they are trained by IT experts on how to spot fictitious emails. Employees need to be careful not to randomly surf the web because it’s possible for them to come across a site with infected links. Sites that infringe on copyrights by offering pirated files can be full of worms.

Our managed IT services experts in Denver at AccountabilIT, Inc. can help you protect your business from cybercriminals. Contact us now to learn more about how we can make your workplace safer so that you can focus on making money.