Our mission at Tech Sentries is to help you “Guard Your Technology.” Part of helping you to “Guard Your Technology” is to keep you informed about threats to your computer system, like ransomware. We believe that keeping you informed is part and parcel of our commitment to you. We found this insightful information in a recent article in an online tech site.

Ransomware Lesson #1

It can be much easier to steal your business or personal information and hold it ransom than to kidnap someone in your family.

Holding information for ransom may be less lucrative per instance, but the crime can be perpetrated a virtual plethora of times with the potential capability of accumulating a great deal of ill-gotten gain from multiple sources. Although some criminals may take the short path to large sums of cash, the opportunity is now open to treacherous techies who are willing to commit the crime numerous times on a smaller scale.

Just because you are not a big business or personally wealthy does not exempt you from ransomware attempts.

Ransomware Lesson #2

Ransomware is not a virus. The computer term “virus” was coined because, like a live virus, it infects your computer files. Ransomware locks your files so that you cannot access them.

Ransomware Lesson #3

You do not have to click on anything in particular to be the victim of a ransomware attack. Although phishing is a method used in some ransomware attacks, it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, the only method of attack.

We always strongly advise our clients to be careful what you click. Understand, however, that this may not make you immune to a ransomware attack. It is, nonetheless, a good habit to develop to guard your technology.

Ransomware Lesson #4

You do not have to visit questionable websites to become a victim of ransomware. Although that may make you more vulnerable to attack, the masters of the ransomware craft tend to use the most innocuous of sites to carry out their schemes. Their whole point is to catch the innocent unaware.

Ransomware Lesson #5

You can guard your technology against ransomware. Although traditional antivirus software has yet to provide foolproof protection against ransomware, whitelisting has come to the forefront as one of the best defenses available. Read our recent blog post about whitelisting here. You will understand in more detail why whitelisting is so successful and why you should use it.

You should be concerned about ransomware, but you are not alone and defenseless in the computer world. Tech Sentries is always on duty. Contact us today to learn how we can help you “GUARD YOUR TECHNOLOGY” (843-282-2222).