The 2019 version data breach report mentions that ransomware is the second most common way of C2 attack. Also, not to our surprise, email is the most common way this malware comes to your system, and ransomware is one of them. The main question is: Can you stop people from clicking on these links? To be honest, you can not. But, there are some other approaches that you can use to protect your devices from breaching. We have discussed all those in detail in the post. So, keep reading.
Know More About What Ransomware Is
In simple words, ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts your data and then asks you for ransom to give you the key so that you can decrypt your data. Indeed, this is not that easy to do. This is done in different stages, and also, this is done in different ways. But, the basics for each type are the same. They first get into your network, encrypt as much data as they can and then ask you for the ransom. Ransomware goes through the following steps:
- Infection: Initially, the attacker delivers the malware to the target. Generally, this is done using phishing emails or some attachments. When it reaches your system, it duplicates itself.
- Key Exchange: Now, the malware informs the attacker that it has found the target. Also, the attacker provides the cryptographic keys that are then used to encrypt the data.
- Encryption: As the name suggests, the virus now encrypts all the files on the victim’s system. It first starts with encrypting the local files, and then it may also spread to the shares.
- Asking For Ransom: Now, the attacker asks for the ransom using a note. You may see the note with a dollar image or a bitcoin link on opening which, the note will appear.
- Recovery: Do you think the victim will pay the amount, and the criminal will just send you the keys to decrypt the data? To be honest, this is not an ideal situation. Most time, the victim does not pay, or the criminal does not give the keys.
- So, what now? All you can do is to protect yourself from falling for ransomware or any other phishing attacks.
Tips to Protect Your Devices from Breaching
Different ways can help you prevent your system from breaching. Here are some tips that we recommend.
Never Click the Links
Though these links are very tempting, you should never click these links. Emails are the most common way ransomware attacks your system. But, being Humans, we always neglect all the warnings of not clicking on these links. So, we suggest getting an antivirus on your system that can scan all your emails and stop you from opening any harmful or unsafe links. When we talk about installing an antivirus on your system, we suggest you try using Norton antivirus. There are different versions available for antivirus. To check it out, you can visit the official Norton website or visit Norton.com/setup.
Create a Backup
Another way that you can use to protect the system from ransomware is to create a backup of your data. It is one of the fastest ways that you can use it. But, you need to make sure to create a backup on some other location. Also, this method is only helpful if the attack has not destroyed the data on another system.
Do Not Over Share Your Information
Even generally also, we suggest you not share your personal information with anyone whom you do not know. Always question them when you are sharing your personal information. When we share such information, attackers can get an idea of how you think and guess your passwords.
Users At Risk
In our opinion, everyone is at risk for a ransomware attack. Usually, these attackers target large organizations that can pay them more. Other than this, some attacks are not even targeted. Such type of attacks tries to affect as many people as they can. So, indeed, it is a risk for everyone.
Use An Antivirus to Protect Your Device
As we have mentioned, you need to scan your emails or get notified whenever you attempt to use an unsafe site. At this time, antivirus software can help you to a great extent. Though there are different software available in the market, we suggest you using Norton. It is a known brand and has been in the market for a long time. Norton has different products that can help you protect your data from all kinds of threats. You can check all the products on the Norton official website and download them by typing norton.com/setup download in the address bar. Also, check out the complete guide for product setup on Norton.com/setup.
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Winding Up
As cyber threats are increasing day by day, you need to protect your system from these threats. Ransomware is one of the common threats that most users face, and they are not even aware of it. With this post, we have tried to explain what ransomware is and how you can protect your system.
