Ransomware doesn’t just hit the big guys

Here in North Carolina we experienced the direct effects of the dangers of ransomware after it hit Colonial Pipeline and caused our gas supply to temporarily dry up.   Ransomware works by encrypting files on computers so they can no longer be read.   In order to use your files, you must pay the hackers a fee to provide you with a key that will unlock the encrypted files.  When the files are vital to your business, you are left with very few options.  In the end Colonial Pipeline had no other options than to pay the ransom to get their business going again.

But ransomware isn’t something that only large companies have to worry about, it can affect small businesses and individuals alike. Financial documents, personal documents and pictures will be lost if your computer is affected by ransomware and you have no recovery plan.  So what can you do about it?  The first step is to have the best malware protection you can get to avoid getting it in the first place.  Unfortunately the hackers are usually one step ahead, so there is no method that will provide a 100% effectiveness against ransomware.  The second step is to have a plan if you do get infected.  This means having a secure backup that can’t be affected when the rest of your files get hit my the malware.

Give us a call to learn more about how you can secure your computers and protect your data.  336-260-0664