News of ransomware attacks continues to dominate the headlines, as they remain one of the biggest threats to businesses the world over. If your understanding of how ransomware functions are murky, now is a good time to familiarize yourself with this malicious program that can wreak havoc on an unsuspecting enterprise. The way ransomware attacks work is criminal hackers find a way to infiltrate your systems and install a type of malware that builds itself up and spreads before ultimately stripping you of access to your essential business data.
You’ve heard the old adage, “there is no honor among thieves.” That’s fundamentally the problem with ransomware attacks. While you might follow through with your end of the bargain by paying up to regain access to your systems, you’re still dealing with unpredictable and unreliable threat actors. Even if you pay these criminals a considerable sum to unlock your systems, there’s a strong chance that you may never restore your normal functioning business operations.
While some basic ransomware attacks are simple to fend off, advanced ransomware strikes can be extremely challenging to manage. This is especially true if your IT department lacks familiarity with the type of attack launched and the methodology of the hackers. In situations like this, companies without adequate cybersecurity support and that haven’t backed up their critical data might never recover their essential operating files. They might even find themselves forced to shutter indefinitely. If you do survive a devastating ransomware attack, you’ll almost assuredly suffer damage to your brand reputation for failing to deliver services at your typical scale.
How do you know if your business needs ransomware protection?
Your business doesn’t have to be data-centric to benefit from ransomware protection. The vast majority of business owners who run operations like this have already implemented a robust information security program because they understand how important cybersecurity is to their bottom line. The fact is, cybercriminals can launch a ransomware attack on anyone who works from a computer. As such, ransomware advantages almost any company that conducts its operations online.
Ransomware attacks have become increasingly popular among cybercriminals. This trend is attributable to the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. While US-based exchanges are required to follow “know your customer” (KYC) laws, making currencies like Bitcoin considerably more traceable, cryptocurrency exchanges abroad are not. When you deliver crypto as ransom to a digital asset wallet overseas, it’s virtually impossible to investigate and even harder recover the funds.
Criminal hackers usually start a ransomware attack by sending your company a series of spam emails as a means of spreading the malicious program throughout your organization and possibly those of your trusted customers. Among the most common types of programs used to deploy ransomware attacks is CryptoLocker. Criminals also leverage ransomware like WannaCry for carrying out cyberattacks on larger organizations.
When it comes to preventing ransomware attacks, even the most prepared businesses can leave themselves vulnerable. There is no foolproof approach to preventing these incidents. But a top-rated managed service provider (MSP) like PCH Technologies can help significantly lower the chances of your business falling victim to an advanced ransomware attack by helping you develop and maintain a reliable prevention strategy. At the end of the day, if your business requires any level of network maintenance and patch management, it will undoubtedly benefit from the ransomware detection tools from a trusted MSP.
How does outsourced managed IT support help prevent ransomware?
Ransomware data recovery services from an MSP benefit small to medium-sized businesses that lack a dedicated security operations center the most. Even experienced in-house IT teams struggle to defend against the latest ransomware threats, but a managed IT service provider like PCH Technologies helps you restore your digital environment after a ransomware attack much faster than an inexperienced IT team on its own.
Let’s breakdown a few different ways an MSP specifically helps businesses like yours detect, respond, and, above all, prevent ransomware attacks:
1. Advanced security protocols
Ransomware is little more than another type of malware enabled by the cryptocurrency phenomenon. A ransomware recovery service delivered by an MSP ensures that any ongoing attack is responded to as quickly as possible. They also verify that you’re using the appropriate antivirus software throughout your entire system so that no singular endpoint leaves your enterprise vulnerable to an attack. When you partner with a managed IT service, the provider’s first course of action is to install the necessary antivirus software to form your first line of defense.
MSPs also deploy DNS filtering to prevent your employees from accessing unauthorized spam websites. DNS filters reroute internet traffic from a cybersecurity software solution to protect your network from ransomware threats. It’s one of the surest ways to keep company users from accessing questionable and malicious URLs.
2. Improved email security
Attackers usually start the infiltration process by targeting members of your organization with sophisticated spam emails. These electronic mailings send malware to these users, and without administering the proper email security solutions, malicious spam will continue to find its way into your employees’ inboxes.
Many small business owners falsely assume they can stop ransomware from causing damage to their systems by installing a consumer-grade spam filter. A solution like this is hardly sufficient. Companies require a multifaceted approach when it comes to email security. An experienced MSP can provide you with the latest email security software and tools that check your inbound mailings for malicious links and unsafe attachments.
3. Continuous network monitoring
A dependable managed IT support solution can monitor your digital environment around the clock to hunt for system vulnerabilities and emergent threats. If a hacker starts attacking your system the ransomware recovery service provider has the tools to identify this problem immediately, well before it escalates into a bigger issue and starts impacting other areas of your valuable IT infrastructure. The MSP will remove that particular threat by halting the system it’s infecting and running an antivirus scan of other potentially impacted areas in your digital environment.
Learn more about ransomware data recovery services
Ransomware attacks continue to be a significant cause for concern among smaller companies that lack the resources and tools to defend against them. While this is by no means a comprehensive list of how MSPs help companies like yours ward off sophisticated ransomware attacks, you can find out more by scheduling a complimentary discovery call with PCH Technologies online or dialing us directly at (856) 754-7500 now.