Last weekend’s global cyberattack is another reminder, that as business owners diligence in updating your digital security is vital! Most computers affected, were systems that had outdated anti-virus and/or operating systems.
This particular cyber attack involved “Ransomware is a type of malicious software that takes over a computer and locks the user out, preventing them from accessing any files until they pay money. This particular program, called WannaCry, asks for about $300, though the price increases over time.”
Here are some steps you can take on a REGULAR basis to protect yourself.
- Install Microsoft software updates. If this is not automated, now is the time to turn on the ‘automatic update’ feature!
- Install anti-virus updates automatically (We usually recommend AVG or Norton to our clients). Enable email scanning options in your Antivirus program.
- Either Daily or at least weekly run a backup of your files.
- Stay alert. DON’T open emails from addresses you don’t recognize, be sure to read the details of the EMAIL ADDRESS. A lot of malwares and ransomwares would ‘disguise’ itself as a trusted contact. For example you may see an email from your friend Sally Monson, but the email address will not be sallymonson@gmail.com , it will be something like scupola@mailinator.cn.