A lot of time and effort is spent on building up data that is stored on your computer. Within the blink of an eye it can all disappear and you can fall victim to these cyberattacks. Knowing the actions to take to prevent ransomware can protect your computer from these nasty invasions.

Familiarizing Yourself with Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money has been paid. It can affect your computer with bothersome pop-ups trying to get you to purchase untrusted antivirus software, also to the seriousness of encrypting all your files and demanding an amount of money to retrieve them.

Recognizing Ransomware

When a pop up has been placed on your computer browser. You will most likely see these pop-ups on every site you enter while browsing on your computer. They will communicate to you that your computer is infected with vicious malware and likely, will not go away. In a more serious degree if your files have been encrypted, this means your data has been concealed and converted to code by a hacker. Your screen can be locked and denied access until this sum of money is paid. Also, there is no guarantee you will ever get your files back, therefore leaving you with no data, lost funds, and in the worse of cases a locked computer server.

Take Action While You Are Ahead

Depending on the type of ransomware that has made its way on your server there are ways in which you can attempt to rid these potential threats. Downloading a pop-up blocker on your browser can certainly minimize or even stop these pop-ups from appearing. There are programs designed to recognize and block them as they appear. Although, some ransomwares are stronger than others and will not be recognized, sliding into your browser and planting itself to appear as if it is an advertisement that is part of a website.

Another way you can attempt to stop ransomware when you suspect you have been hit, is to end the browsing task from your computers task manager. When you re-open your browser, do not restore your settings to open up what you have left off at. You have the capability to shut down a program instantly, unless the ransomware has restricted you from your network. In which case, you need to reach out to an I.T professional for a possible restoration of your entire computer server.

Ransomware Prevention

Just as you would lock up your home when you leave to protect your possessions and privacy, you need to secure your computer and the data it holds as well. There is a great deal of damage that can be done to your computer server if you fail to protect it. Viruses, malware infections, theft and/or fraud are all possibilities that can happen to you at any given time. The good news is there are many ways to prevent this from happening including an anti-virus install and setup for prevention and discovery. With scheduled scans, updates, and notifications you can ensure your system will be protected 24/7.

Backing up your Data

When we think about ransomware and the impairment it can have not only for businesses but personally as well, it is worrisome. It is common for people to believe this won’t happen to them and when it does they have no choice but to cut their losses. Prepare yourself for the worse when it comes to cyberattacks and backup all your data beforehand. There are inexpensive and user friendly cloud services that store all your data with retrievable access to you at any time. Not only are backups a critical business component for protection and on a more personal level, storing photos, videos and other files can save a lifetime of memories and keepsakes.