Where would most businesses be without the internet? It seems unfathomable that any business, regardless of the industry, could survive without it. Unfortunately, the internet is also the conduit through which some businesses meet their demise. Cyber criminals have successfully hacked into organizations large and small, creating a storm that some businesses can’t weather. Ransomware has become one of the most popular types of attacks, which is why it pays to be proactive in protecting your data.
Teams in charge of cyber security strategies should be taking ransomware seriously. Cyber criminals have used ransomware attacks to make massive impacts on everything from the meat packing industry to education and healthcare industries. Organizations large and small get hit on a daily basis. According to a report from IBM, it can take up to 77 days to contain an incident. Worse yet is the cost: according to the report, organizations with less than 500 employees are hit with an average cost of around $7.6 million per incident. That’s more than many can handle, and they end up folding.
Proactive Measures
Rather than wait around and react to a cyber attack, the best strategies involve getting ahead of threats. For example, educating your employees can be a massive help, considering the vast majority of attacks are derived from insider mistakes. It’s an unfortunate fact of life – you can spend plenty of money on some of the best security technology, only to be foiled by an employee who falls for a phishing scam resulting in an attack.
It’s estimated that +90% of malware attacks come through email. By educating your employees about what to look for in a phishing scam, you can make them privy to the telltale signs. Furthermore, companies that put an outright ban on opening attachments from outside sources find that their attack rate via email is significantly reduced or stopped altogether.
Backup Your Data
When you have your data backed up in a secure location, you can bypass a ransomware attack. The hackers basically block you from accessing files until you pay them, but if your data is available offline in a place where cyber criminals can’t touch it, you can disregard the hackers’ demands. Granted, you’ll still need to figure out how the hackers got to your data in the first place and shut that open door, but the net positive is that aside from a little stress and downtime, your data is still available to you.
At Safari Solutions, our goal is to partner your company with the technology that works for your unique needs. We know how difficult it is for most organizations to have the expertise it takes to know about all the products on the market today, and that’s where we step in. Whether it’s technology to help you grow or technology that protects you as you grow, we know what will work for you. Contact us today and avoid the trial and error process that most companies put themselves through when it comes to implementing the right solutions.
