Are You Safe From Ransomware?

As many of you know, Ransomware has hit the headlines a few times and you might wonder what exactly it is. Ransomware is a type of virus that once downloaded will start to password protect all of your precious files, documents, and pictures. It will then hold those files ransom for money. Usually it is at least $200 but can be in the tens of thousands if you are a business.

Are you safe? That depends on if you have performed your windows updates, virus updates, and don't open links from emails. Even if you do all of that, you still are at risk. Anti-virus programs run on a signature based system so when someone writes a virus, the anti-virus program reads it and looks for similarity to other known viruses. Now if this virus was written by someone who is different than the ones they have caught, you are unprotected.

What can you do?

Perform backups of your precious files that you cannot lose often and to an external drive not hooked to the computer all the time. The reason being is that if your computer does get infected, the particularly nasty Ransomware password protect everything that is connected to your computer which includes those files you backed up if it can connect to it. 
There are other ways to protect, but this is the best way to make sure you do not lose everything you need, plus if your computer ever crashes, you will at least have your files!

If you have any questions or would like us to help out in protecting you or your business, please give us a call.
Tech Solution LLC
251-597-5094