Quick Tip: Having a full, daily backup is the secret to foiling ransomware (even at home)!
Why: Not too long ago, ransomware, like the CryptoLocker virus, was all over the news, reportedly infecting well over a quarter million computers in 90 days (The real numbers are probably MUCH higher). The threat was fairly straightforward: Pay us or we’ll delete all your data.
Ransomware works by encrypting your files to prevent you from using or accessing them. After your files are encrypted, the hackers behind the attack then pop up a demand screen asking for payment ($400 to $2,000) within a set time frame (e.g., 72 hours or three days) in order to get the key to decrypt your files. The last CryptoLocker virus forced many business owners to lose data or pay up since there was no other way to decrypt the files.
Obviously, the best way to foil a ransomware attack is to be incredibly diligent about IT security; but with hundreds of thousands of new attacks being created daily, there are no guarantees that you won’t get infected. Therefore, it’s critical to maintain a full, daily backup of your data so that if you do get whacked with ransomware, you can recover all your files without having to pay a dime. Don’t forget to back up offsite PCs, laptops, remote offices and third-party software data stored in cloud apps as well!
