Ransomware Recovery and Prevention. Ransomware attacks have skyrocketed in the last few years, with nearly 70% of U.S. companies impacted. According to some estimates, they’ve increased more than 485%. Ransomware payment demands can easily total hundreds of thousands of dollars. As your IT solutions provider in Phoenix, PHX-IT delivers ransomware protection and remediation services with solid expertise.
Your Business Depends on Ransomware Recovery and Prevention
No matter how prosperous your organization is, it can’t afford to lose large sums of money to malicious hackers. Protecting from ransomware is important. But ransomware attacks also exploit existing vulnerabilities, setting your company up for even more losses later. If sensitive data gets out, this erodes your clients’ trust in your organization. Data breaches could expose them to major losses as well. And who needs that? But what you do need are ransomware recovery and prevention services — PHX-IT can help.
How Ransomware Attacks Take Place
Attackers use both technology and psychology to reach their targets and extort money. Make no mistake: These attacks are anything but random. By the time an organization is attacked, the culprits have already done their homework to discover exploitable vulnerabilities and loopholes. And as more workers have shifted to telecommuting, they’re outside their company’s corporate firewalls — more prime targets for skilled attackers. There are even ransomware gangs that orchestrate large-scale assaults and demand multimillion-dollar payments.
Ransomware attackers use “advanced persistent threats” consisting of multiple tactics: finding an opening, entering your IT network, planting bots, and looking around until they discover sensitive data to steal. They encrypt this data and hold it for ransom, demanding money for its decryption and restoration. Attackers may threaten their victims multiple times and even release the stolen data after they’ve been paid.
Both businesses and nonprofit groups face ransomware threats. Healthcare providers and educational institutions are the most common targets, but any organization can be impacted. Let PHX-IT help you protect your enterprise with a ransomware recovery and prevention plan.
Ransomware Prevention Is Key
You’ve heard the axiom, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When it comes to the prevention of ransomware attacks, that statement is anything but cliché. A solid anti-ransomware strategy not only keeps these threats at bay but also improves the overall security and performance of your IT network. Such a strategy consists of some important components:
- Discovering and evaluating risks in your network
- Phasing out old and outdated technologies
- Performing security patches and upgrades
- Training and awareness for employees
- Performing regular backups
- Creating business continuity and disaster recovery plans
- Developing incident response protocols
- Testing and refining your prevention strategies
PHX-IT can assist you in preventing ransomware attacks before they start. Talk to us about our prevention and remediation services today.
Get Help With Ransomware Threats From PHX-IT
The PHX-IT team collectively offers decades of IT expertise, including key areas like network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and project management. But we’re also people who understand people. We like solving problems, not bombarding you with jargon. Choosing us means partnering with professionals who listen, communicate, and fix your problems.
Your Ransomware Prevention Experts in Phoenix
PHX-IT specializes in a wide range of IT solutions, including ransomware recovery and prevention services. We’d love to show you how we can protect your business or nonprofit against ransomware attacks and losses. Just complete our contact form or call us at (602) 795-3138.
Ransomware FAQs
What is ransomware?
Ransomware is what it says on the tin — malware that holds its victim’s data for ransom. Just as a physical kidnapping takes a person away from family and friends, ransomware targets sensitive data. Attackers refuse to restore access to the data unless the victim pays an exorbitant amount of money.
How does ransomware work?
There are many types of ransomware in use today. Most of it is transmitted through spam or phishing emails, but it can also be spread through websites. Many versions also encrypt the data they want to hold hostage. But encryption isn’t the only method attackers use:
- Lock screens that block access to data
- Encrypting a computer’s master boot record or the OS’ file system
- Stealing data with the threat of release if a ransom isn’t paid
- Mobile ransomware through fake apps
How can we prevent ransomware attacks?
To outsmart ransomware attacks, you need to understand how they get entry in the first place. Attack vectors are the methods they use to get in, and they roughly fall into two categories: human and machine.
Human attack vectors employ social engineering: tricking users into clicking on a link from an email, SMS, voicemail, or instant message. Even social media can be used to disguise a ransomware download as a link to coupons, discount codes, or other enticing bait. Machine attack vectors include breaking and entering a network and drive-bys that install malware when a webpage loads.
While these attacks can be frightening, you can prevent them. Strategies include anti-virus and anti-malware software, plus frequent backups, network segmentation, and exercising caution when dealing with attachments. Restricting user permissions as appropriate is also important.
For more information about how we can help you improve your construction IT environment, get in touch with phx-IT today.
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