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Ransomware is one of the scariest and fastest growing malware, blocking devices for ransom money. Here are five tips on how to defend yourself
We often talk about ransomware, malware that can lock our devices, including files, videos, data, and photos, and demand a ransom to unlock them. They are one of the fastest growing viruses of the last year, affecting both companies and individuals. Let’s look at five tips for protecting yourself.
Ransomware works in a very simple way: it infiltrates the user’s computer and blocks access. To be able to use the device again, you have to pay a ransom, usually between 200 and 500 euros. Ransomware can be infected in several ways, such as through email attachments, malicious links or exploit kits. Usually, ransomware viruses get stuck in our computers unnoticed by us. Paying the ransom is not an ideal solution and with a little caution you can prevent the attack.
Use an anti-virus program
It may sound cliche, but the first step is to be careful. So, if you’ve been infected, contact the authorities and don’t pay the ransom. However, if you don’t want to get infected, the first piece of advice is to protect your devices. As? With a reliable antivirus. F-Secure by Safe is one of the most awarded anti-ransomware systems and is capable of blocking most of the currently known malware. And it will also protect us from new threats because it is constantly updated.
Regular backups
Regular data backups are essential to stay protected from possible ransomware attacks. We save all our important data and documents offline to prevent ransomware virus from rendering them useless. If we do this, we will not be afraid of freezes on the device. We can delete everything without risking losing any files.
Keep your software up-to-date
Avoiding ransomware, like many other malicious programs, is not easy, but by constantly updating our devices, we will make life difficult for cybercriminals. So remember to do this, and if you are not sure about the version of the software you are using, you can always use the application manager for updating. He will notify us as soon as new versions are available.
Fourth advice: watch out for attachments
We’ve said it many times before: always pay attention to email attachments. There are countless threats to the security of our computer in e-mail conversations. And ransomware and other malicious programs use these systems to attack their victims. Particular attention should be paid to files in ZIP format and Office documents such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel. On these files, remember to always turn off Macros.
Limit plugins
When possible, try to limit the use of browser plug-ins such as Flash Player or Silverlight when browsing the web. It is simple, it only takes a second, you just need to enter the browser settings. This little technique will protect us while surfing the Internet.
