How to Protect Your Website from Ransomware Attack

No company is resistant to the risk of ransomware. There are hundreds of subcategories of malware and viruses, most of which are dangerous in its own manner. Ransomware, among others, has become a lucrative cyber-crime strategy.

The 2019 Official Annual Cybercrime Report (ACR) predicts that:

‘A business will fall victim to a ransomware attack every 14 seconds by 2019, and every 11 seconds by 2021’

So, what is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a particular type of malware that coerces financial ransom from perpetrators by threatening to disclose, delete or deny access to valuable private information. This is a type of malware that often attacks both personal and technical weaknesses by attempting to deny an organization the accessibility of its most sensitive data and/or systems.

The effects of a ransomware attack could be absolutely catastrophic, and it’s hard to come to terms with after your website has been afflicted. The prevention of an attack is a much more effective approach.

All types of ransomware have a shared goal. locking your computers or encrypt your files and ask for money to access your data. Ransomware is just one of many forms of malware or malicious software which uses encryption to retain your ransom data.

All such cybersecurity attacks may vary from a malware locking system to a total encryption of file and resource encryption until after a ransom is actually paid.

How Does it Capture Your Data?

Ransomware generally expands through spam or phishing emails. This can also spread across websites or apps to infect the endpoint and access the network. Infection techniques are rapidly changing, and there are several forms where one website can get infected, and further decrypt files and restore maximum operation to the infected IT devices.

How to Protect Your Website from Ransomware Attack

Train Your Employees

The ransomware protection strategy should include training workers on what ransomware is and technique attackers use largely to begin attacks — phishing. When a person unknowingly taps or clicks a link they’re not supposed to connect or opens a fake email attachment, ransomware may establish a stronghold on their system and spread immediately across your network. Launch a suitable protection awareness training program and eliminate the risk of employee error contributing to ransomware invasion. This training must be held on a routine basis.

Be Aware of Unverified Links

try to prevent clicking links on spam emails or unknown websites. Downloads that proceed as you click on malicious links are one way your device might get exposed to the virus. When the ransomware gets on your computer, your data will be encrypted or your operating system will be locked. After the ransomware has anything to keep as captive, ‘ it will require a ransom so you can retrieve your data. Having to pay these ransoms may often be the easiest solution.

Back Up Your Files Regularly

Try to ensure that you regularly update and backup your documents. Backing up your documents on a regular basis is the wisest and the greatest solution when ransomware has infected with the virus on your laptop. Keep a copy of your data in a cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox) or a portable HDD. This technique may not hold ransomware attacks away from your computer, but it will definitely render the harm considerably less so as you no longer need to cope with the attacker to retain access to your encrypted material.

Keep System Updated and Patch Your Computer

Focus on ensuring that your apps and operating systems (OSs) have been updated with the recent updates. Susceptible apps and OSs are the target of most ransomware attacks. To prevent ransomware attacks, make sure all devices and software are up-to-date. Computers having outdated software are more susceptible to attack. Up to date software may substantially reduce the probability of ransomware bringing any loss to your valuable data. Most vendors launch privacy updates and patches on a regular basis. It would, therefore, be best if you allow automatic software updates to assure that your software is ever up-to-date.

Use Anti-Virus Software

Running an occasional virus scan is a great idea. Install antivirus software, firewalls, and email filters and manage them updated —to lower malicious network traffic. You must have a plan to use antivirus on your endpoints as well. Put the emphasis on using tools that can monitor suspicious behavior since many ransomware attacks are specifically aimed at preventing signature-based antivirus programs from being identified. Also, make sure you there’s some kind of web filter that can deter viruses from occurring.

Make Data Scanning Essential

Making use of data scanning and sorting on your mail servers is a rational way to protect your system from ransomware. This software tends to decrease the chances that a spam email comprising malware-infected attachments or links will reach your inbox. 

Keep a Record of the Log

When cybercriminals try to enter and run a ransomware attack on your network, they leave some kind of evidence behind. Take into account using security information and event management (SIEM) technology capable of checking system logs, app logs and activity records to retrieve and evaluate data and mark unexpected activities.

How to Respond to a Ransomware Attack?

• Remove the Infected System 

Take away the infected system from across all networks, and disable the system’s wireless; Bluetooth, and other new networking capacities of your computer. Help make sure that all shared and networked computers are disconnected, whether wired or wireless.

• Power- Off the Infected System. 

Turn off and remove the infected computer. Power-off and segregate any other computers or equipment that share a network with an infected device that has not been thoroughly encrypted by ransomware. If available, gather and secure all infected and potentially infected devices and systems in a key place, ensuring that any files that have been encrypted are evidently identified. switching off and segregating infected computers and computers that have not yet been fully encrypted may make it possible for technicians to recover partly encrypted files.

• Secure Backup at Once

 Make absolutely sure your backup data is offline and safe. If necessary, scan your backup data with an anti-malware to verify that it is safe from malicious software.