To be brief what does the virus actually do? It usually infects a PC in the form of a malicious email attachment. The mail attachment looks just like a normal PDF which could be disguised as an invoice/purchased order. Once it has been opened the virus will then encrypt all word/excel/pdfs/pictures on the PC infects. Rendering the files useless. Then it will search for network drives and go after files stored centrally on any servers you may have. Wreaking havoc on shared network drives and departmental files.
Finally, it will display a message on the infected system stating if you pay a “ransom” then you can have access back from your files. The truth is – if you pay you are not guaranteed anything and may end up in a worse situation as the software will capture credit card details.
Prevention is better than cure.
4 Key Steps For Any Business to Reduce The Risk of Ransomware
1. Raise awareness among staff
2. Server-side protection, GPO’s
3. Email spam filter
4. Check backups are actually working
If your business is looking to implement robust, secure IT systems, contact our team today.