In 2017, the world was ripped off by the computer viruses WannaCry and NotPetya, which quickly spread on the networks, impacting almost every device they touched.

Ransomware has always been one of the main tools of hackers, but in the last 3 years, there’s been a real explosion in growth.

Until recently, ransomware focused on just the ‘availability’, blocking users from their data, and today attackers are increasingly threatening to publish stolen material on the Internet.

And if you want to return the stolen data, you have to pay.

So how do you protect your data?

Treat the cause, not just the symptoms.

After all, the real problem is that ransomware is often just a visible symptom of a more serious network intrusion.

Even with the ransomware removed and the system restored from backups, attackers:

❗️ may have backdoor access to the network;

❗️ probably have administrator privileges;

❗️ re-deploy the ransomware.

The Cyberteam of the NGO «International Cybersecurity University» recommends to get acquainted with the guidance how to prevent malicious and ransomware attacks from the NCSC (National Cybersecurity Center – the UK’s independent cybersecurity body):

✔️ make regular backups

✔️ prevent malware from being delivered and spreading on your device

✔️ prevent malware from running on devices

✔️ prepare for a cyber incident

The link describes each step towards reducing the probability of infection and the spread of malware ➡️

So, take care to protect your data and be cyber secure!