How to Prevent Ransomware Attacks: Top 10 Best Practices in 2022

This article was originally published on the UpGuard blog on August 11, 2022.

As the world of technology grows, so should the?cybersecurity ?practices that protect them. Having a ransomware defense strategy should be a priority for any individual or company. Without it, poorly protected users and organizations can put themselves at risk of losing important and confidential information.

A?report ?from Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that there was one ransomware attack every 11 seconds in 2021, resulting in almost $20 billion in damages. These extortion schemes often target individuals or businesses that are most likely to pay the demanded sum to recover their data.

For many companies, that data is the most valuable asset they own. Losing it could mean irreversible damages that could cripple an entire operation. It's important to stay proactive with the best ransomware protection practices before potential threats have the opportunity to take advantage. Keep reading to learn more on how you can protect your data from any future attacks!

What Is Ransomware?

Ransomware ?is a sophisticated type of?malware ?that can infect a computer and subsequently hold?sensitive data ?or?personally identifiable information (PII) ?hostage until a fee, or "ransom" is paid. Cybercriminals often use a binary encryption key to restrict data access to extort money from victims.

Ransomware attacks can be especially dangerous for businesses, hospitals,?schools , or other organizations that rely on that information to function daily. In most cases, failure to pay the ransom can lead to permanent loss or exposure of confidential data.

Some of the?most common ways people get infected by ransomware ?are:

• Phishing emails
• Visiting corrupted websites (drive-by downloading )
• Downloading infected file extensions or malicious attachments
• System and network?vulnerabilities
• Remote desktop protocol (RDP) attacks

Types Of Ransomware

Ransomware attacks can affect anyone, from individual users to large corporations. This type of malware can lock up individual files, like documents or images, to entire databases, leading to huge?data breaches ?or exposure of sensitive, personal information.

There are four main categories of ransomware:

1. Encryption?-?Encryption ?is the most common type of ransomware, which encrypts data and makes it impossible to unlock without a decryption key.
2. Lockers?- Lockers restrict the use of your computer, making it impossible to work or use basic functions until the ransom is paid.
3. Scareware?- Scareware attempts to scare users into buying unnecessary software. In some cases, pop-ups will flood the screen, forcing the user to pay to remove them.
4. Doxware/Leakware?- Doxware or leakware will threaten to leak personal or company information unless the fine is paid.

10 Best Ransomware Prevention Practices

Luckily, there are many ways to protect yourself from ransomware infection. Because technology is constantly evolving, it's important to follow basic cybersecurity practices and stay proactive, so that you'll never put yourself or your business at risk of any ransomware threats.

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