Early Warning Footprints of Ransomware Attacks
As technology is growing, businesses are taking huge advantage of this as well. Now, most business activities have gone online. Businesses and organizations have gained more exposure and widen their exposure.
However, going more online means increasing the risk around your business as well. With so many improvements, cyber attack risks have increased as well.
While computer viruses and malware exist, ransomware attacks are one o the most dangerous cyber attacks that just don’t hurt a business financially but damage the whole data to the point that cannot be restored.
While businesses have already opted for secure cloud and physical backups, recovering from ransomware still takes time and the damage to the business will have already gone too far. This is why opting for a Ransomware Protection solution is crucial.
What is Ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands a ransom in order to decrypt them. It is a growing threat with a wide range of victims, from individuals to large organizations. While the methods of delivery and payload vary, the end goal is always the same: to extort money from the victim.
Ransomware can be spread via email attachments, malicious links, and drive-by downloads. It is often disguised as a legitimate-looking email or website. If a business doesn’t protect against ransomware, a simple click on the malicious link will open the attachment.
The ransomware will start to encrypt their files. The victim will then be presented with a ransom note demanding payment in order to decrypt their files.
Signs of ransomware
While it is crucial to have a ransomware solution, there are a few key things to look out for if you think you may be a victim of ransomware:
1. Your files have been encrypted:
This is the most obvious sign that you may be a victim of ransomware. You may not be able to open or access your files, or they may appear to be gibberish. And if your business relies heavily on cloud storage such as google drive or onedrive then the problem is not resolved.
Cloud ransomware such as onedrive ransomware can do damage in the cloud as well. Your data without any ransomware protection is still vulnerable to them.
2. You have received a ransom demand:
If you didn’t opt for ransomware backup at right time then things will get really hard for you. In order to get your files back, you will likely need to pay a ransom. This is usually done through an anonymous payment method such as Bitcoin. You will have got an email from a hacker as well.
3. Your computer is locked:
In some cases, ransomware will lock you out of your computer entirely. This can make it impossible to access your files or even your desktop.
4. Strange activity on your computer:
If you notice strange activity on your computers, such as unexpected pop-ups or ads, this may be a sign that your computer is infected with ransomware.
Also, if you are being notified again and again about logins that you haven’t made or login attempts or password reset requests then this is an obvious early sign that someone is trying to gain access to your PC or email account. You will even notice google drive ransomware activities on your google team drive as well. Such as encryption or gibberish files.
5. Spam and Phishing Emails:
Despite the availability of too much information about spam emails, people will always fall for such malicious links and attachments coming from so-called “legit sources” such as PayPal, their banks, or credit card company.
6. Signs of Test Attacks:
Before there is a major ransomware attack, one of the major signs of ransomware is some minor attacks. Hackers will try to find and manipulate the vulnerabilities to test their fiding. This can be done on a bunch of machines mostly on the same network. They just want to how quickly you will act.
These attacks will mostly look smaller so companies will either think of them as false positives or too small to consider them a threat. In return, this encourages them to prepare for their next attack. Because organizations will not take them seriously because of their size.
The hackers will take advantage and will do it to damage the security system to perform a major attack in the future.
Why Ransomware Attack is a Serious Threat to businesses?
Ransomware attacks present a significant risk to businesses of all sizes. When a business is hit with a ransomware attack, its critical data and systems are held hostage until a ransom is paid. This can have a devastating impact on the business, disrupting operations and leading to financial losses. In some cases, businesses have had to shut down completely as a result of a ransomware attacks.
There are a number of ways that businesses can reduce the risk of being hit by a ransomware attack. These include ensuring that systems and data are backed up regularly, implementing security measures such as firewalls and antivirus software, and training staff on how to identify and respond to ransomware attacks.
If you think you may be a victim of ransomware, it is important to act quickly. Do not pay the ransom, as this may encourage the attackers and will not guarantee that you will get your files back. Instead, contact a professional computer security company to see if they can assist you in recovering your files.
