Avoid Ransomware Attacks On Your Computer

Ransomware is one of the most prominent and common cyber threat today. Due to the WannaCry ransomware attack which affected thousands of businesses and corporations across the globe, there has been a significant amount of coverage about ransomware in the mainstream media. Despite the alarming nature of the ransomware threat, the way ransomware infiltrates a computer is no different from the methods used by other malware threats. There are several ways by which ransomware can infiltrate your computer. The most prominent method is by using social engineering tactic or by exploiting software vulnerabilities in your computer. To better protect your computer from ransomware threats, there is a dire need to focus more on ransomware preventive measures and cybersecurity. To help you address the ever-growing ransomware threats, here are some tips on how to avoid ransomware attacks on your computer.

Ransomware Spreads Through:

Spam email messages that trick users into downloading a malicious file attachment. Exploit kits that silently download the ransomware onto the victim’s computer while they browse a seemingly benign website.

4 Tips To Prevent Ransomware Attacks On Your Computer

#Back up Your Computer Regularly Make sure to back up your computer regularly. Back up your important files and documents in cloud storage or on an offline system. This can save your data even if your computer gets infected with ransomware malware. #Lockdown Your Network Drives Make sure to secure your network drives with a password and access control restrictions. Enforce read-only access for files on your network drives. This will prevent ransomware (such as the CryptoLocker) from encrypting your files. #Keep Your System Up-To-Date Make sure to update your computer with regular patches and security updates as and when they are available. Since ransomware malware exploits security vulnerabilities in software, it is critical for you to update your computer with regular security patches. #Real-time Traffic Monitoring In the case of organizations, there’s a lot of focus on filtering inbound connections, but there should also be filtering in outbound connections as well. Since the ransomware relies on the instruction given by a remote hacker, blocking the initial outbound attempts to connect to the attacker’s server can stop the ransomware at the initial stages itself. For a regular user, spam emails appear to come from a legitimate user, but they are actually coming from someone completely different. This type of emails may contain malicious attachments containing ransomware.

Some of the best security practices are listed below:

• Do not open emails from unknown sources
• Do not disable or deactivate antivirus or anti-malware software
• Do not download files or any other software from torrent sites — official or direct downloads are preferable
• Verify emails from familiar contacts if it has an attachment or link.

If you are an enterprise user, it is advisable to use Xcitium Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP). With a ‘Default Deny’ security approach and a built-in Containment engine, Xcitium AEP provides 360-degree protection against any malware threat including ransomware. For more details about Xcitium Advanced Endpoint Protection, contact us at +1 (888) 551-1531.