words Al Woods
If you sift through the web, you will find hundreds of case studies, guiding you through how ransomware attacks tarnished the reputation of several companies and became the sole cause for their downfall. With much advancement in technology, ransomware attacks are on the rise and continue to hound millions of computer systems every day.
However, developers, too, have gone the extra mile to make sure such attacks are brought to a minimum. The modern criminals are using different tactics to attack the computer systems of top-notch organizations so that they can succumb to the pressures of paying the ransom.
If you’re reading as a business owner, your primary concern will be the safety and security of your business information. However, today, even small firms are at a huge risk of falling prey to ransomware attacks. In this article, we will guide you through a few things you must-do if you’re affected by a ransomware attack.
What to do?
If you’re hit by a ransomware attack, you need to handle the situation with diplomacy instead of panicking. If any information about the attack goes out in public, it will tarnish the image of your company. So maintain your calm and try to solve the problem with an open mind. Here are a few actions, you need to take:
· As soon as you have been attacked, inform your IT department and the IT service provider. This way, they will stop uploading more information on the web.
· Immediate disable all shares even the admin shares
· As soon as you locate the source from where the attack has penetrated, disconnect it from other devices and quarantine it
· Disconnect the main power
· Backup all important business information
· Carry out a compromise assessment to identify all infected devices in your office
Keep in mind, as soon as you take these steps, it will become easier for you to put a cut on the damage caused by the attack. Here are a few more things that you need to do in such a situation:
· Make sure that you physically detach the power from the core switch. This will prevent the virus from spreading to other servers in your system. However, if you have applications that are protecting your system, don’t switch off the main system all of a sudden.
· Make use of the Windows firewall because it can easily protect different computers from getting affected.
· As soon as your system gets affected, it is imperative that you backup important information. Not to forget, a hacker will try their level best to make sure that every part of your data is hacked and in their control.
· If you are using the internet connection even after the attack has affected your computer system, it is imperative that you disconnect it as soon as possible.
Will you Get Your Data Back?
In simple words, the answer is between yes or no. When you pay the ransom; the hackers might hold your data captive for the next few days and demand more money. So there is a high chance that you might not be able to get the encryption key after paying the ransom. When you succumb to the pressure, it enables the hackers to attack more computer systems. This is the main reason why experts suggest companies to wait and not pay the ransom fees when they’re attacked.
The best thing is to get professional help in such a situation. As we march towards the digital age, it has become easier for IT professionals to get the victims out of the problem. However, it is feasible if you settle for top-notch antivirus software, in the beginning, to get rid of such an issue.
