1-Ransomware is a threat to you and your devices, but what distinguishes this type of malware?
The phrase “ransomware” says it all about this type of virus. Ransomware is a heinous application that can lock your computer and then demand a ransom payment to unlock it.
In most cases, ransomware infections occur as follows: The malware gains access to the device in the first step. Then, depending on the ransomware type, the entire operating system or specific files are encrypted, and a ransom is demanded from the victim! If you want to reduce the risk of ransomware attacks, use high-quality software Antivirus.
Malware is a class of applications with malicious intent, and this term encompasses all malicious programs that can be harmful to computers, including viruses and Trojans.
2- The following are some examples of the most common types of ransomware:
3-How does ransomware operate?
- Direct infiltration: Some ransomware attacks involve threat actors directly hacking into a company’s network and infecting company infrastructure.
- Phishing emails: Emails are sent to members of an organization from outside the company that contain links to malicious malware
- Direct infiltration: Some ransomware attacks involve threat actors directly hacking into a company’s network and infecting company infrastructure.
- Drive-by downloading: occurs when members of an organization unknowingly visit websites containing malware, which can then infiltrate company infrastructure and spread to their local devices.
- Compromise of remote desktop protocol (RDP): A threat actor who obtains a user’s login credentials for their device can remotely authenticate and log into a computer on an organization’s network.
4-Is it necessary to pay money to remove the ransomware virus?
Most experts advise against paying the required ransom in exchange for irreplaceable data recovery.
It cannot be expected to be honest because it is dealing with criminals. WannaCry has infected hundreds of thousands of computers in over 150 countries and given the design intent of WannaCry, it is unfortunate that users will be unable to recover their lost files even if they agree to pay.
If this ransom is paid, it will most likely be in (Bitcoin) or (Monero), because it is untraceable. Most of the time the request for a large sum aims to attract attention, publicize the hacker, entice the media to talk about the crime, frighten future victims, and demonstrate that nothing is immune to hacking.
As experienced security experts in our company, we advise against paying the ransom, even if the amount is small because doing so encourages security hackers to continue committing such thefts. Remember that they are unethical so do not bet that he will return your files to you. It is also possible that he does not know how to decrypt it, or that he will take a copy of the files and blackmail you again, claiming that if you pay to decrypt it, you’ll also pay to keep it from being published.
5-How do you protect yourself from ransomware?
When it comes to ransomware defense,
- First and foremost, you must ensure that your computer is NOT INFECTED with ransomware.
- 2-PREVENTION is far superior to cure. To accomplish this, proper SECURITY APPLICATIONS must be installed at all times.
- 3-VULNERABILITY SCAMS can also assist you in locating any unwanted elements in your system.
- 4-always UPDATE YOUR DEVICE SOFTWARE to the most recent version to take advantage of the most recent security patches.
- 5-It is critical to EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTIOUS when dealing with suspicious websites and email attachments.
- 6- However, even the best security measures can fail, making a CONTINGENCY PLAN absolutely necessary.
- 7- STRONG PASSWORDS are essential for protecting your online accounts and personal information from cyber criminals, and enabling TWO_FACTOR AUTHENTICATION adds another layer of protection.
- 8- If you have employees working remotely on company servers, make sure they are connected to A VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK.
- 10-The emergency plan for ransomware is to create A BACKUP COPY OF YOUR DATA.
Some procedures can be difficult for an ordinary user to implement, so it is necessary to enroll the assistance of a Cyber Security Expert to complete the necessary work to protect the network and the company’s resources and data, even if it necessitates performing periodic maintenance because it is so, important, and required in order to avoid such disasters.
Finally, “in this digital world, there is a hostile technology for every technology, and for every fortress, there are loopholes, and for every platform, there are back gates.” No matter how secure these platforms are, hackers will find a way to gain access to the data and information stored on them. Do not publish anything that makes you a victim of blackmail and never feel safe as long as you are on their networks.
Ransomware, in all its forms and varieties, poses a significant threat to individual and corporate users, making it even more critical to monitor the threat and prepare as much as possible for all possible events and scenarios. This emphasizes the importance of staying up to date on the latest ransomware in order to use the devices with caution, as well as the importance of having the best security software installed.
Teknologiia’s experts, are happy to assist you with informative blog posts and excellent security software.
Original source: Teknologiia Team
