Are you wondering how to protect your organization from ransomware? Read this.
Like all Canadian business leaders, protecting your organization is always on your mind. With hacker attacks making headlines, worries about ransomware are on the increase. To manage cyber risks in your business you first need to understand current and emerging cyber threats. Ransomware is one of those that businesses of every size should be prepared for.
The following brief explainer from Wikipedia provides some invaluable insights:
Ransomware is computer malware that installs covertly on a victim’s device (e.g., computer, smartphone, wearable device) and that either:
- mounts a cryptoviral extortion attack from cryptovirology that holds the victim’s data hostage, or
- mounts a cryptovirology leakware attack that threatens to publish the victim’s data, until a ransom is paid.
Source: Wikipedia
What are the chances of a ransomware attack in Canada? Shockingly high, unfortunately…
Ransomware attacks are on the rise in Canada, according to the latest Internet Security Threat report from security firm Symantec. The report finds Canada ranking fourth on the list of countries most commonly hit by ransomware as well as social media scams.
In fact, there’s a growing history of ransomware attacks to Canadian businesses. Symantec’s report estimates Canadians were affected by more than 1,600 ransomware attacks per day in 2015.
6 ways you can protect your organization from ransomware
- The best way to protect yourself from any sort of ransomware is to maintain up-to-date anti-virus or anti-malware software and ensure you are backing up your computer regularly to prevent losing any of your important files.
- Users should be wary of any unsolicited emails or emails from addresses they may not know.
- A good way to know if the link provided in an email is legitimate is to check the URL by hovering your mouse over the link – if the email appears to be from a business, say UPS, and the URL is not the company’s official web address, then it’s likely a fraudulent email.
- Be aware that emails sent to your Human Resources department may include ransomware in an application; this is a target for cybercriminals.
- Watch for .XBTL files, these are files encrypted with malware
- Speak with an ALIGNED Advocate today to get a quote for Cyber Liability Insurance to further protect your organization.
