What to Do If I Am Hit With a Ransomware Attack (And How to Prevent It)
Ransomware is a common term in the digital world, and it has become one of the notorious forms of malware. Recently, WannaCry one of the biggest ransomware attacks affected over 30,000 computers spread across 150 countries. Cyber security firms and organizations are overwhelmed by the high number of ransomware, and each comes with specific code making it harder to have a one solution fits all. Malicious hackers are minting millions of dollars by creating and spreading the malware.
However, there are numerous things you can do after a ransomware attack on your computer and system to prevent a repeat infection. In this guide, we look at the things you ought to do when hit by a ransomware attack and how to avoid further attacks.
How Do You Get Ransomware
The recent version of ransomware is spread through attachments in your email. You can also get the ransomware from a hacked website, and the owner may not be aware. Using cracked software, P2P networks, software key generators, et al. can infect your system.
What to Do After a Ransomware Attack
The minute you find that you cannot access your system, follow the following tips
Remove System from Network
If your workstation is part of a network, the first thing should be to stop the spread of the ransomware. Remove all infected computers from the network to curtail the infection of your network.
Look for Unusual File Extensions
Most of the ransomware variants today make changes to your files to extensions that correspond to the ransomware name for example .locky, .zepto, et al. The ransomware also creates README.html and README.txt files with the instructions from the ransomware developers. Look for this files and extensions to access the extent of the attack on your system.
Identify the Source
To get an understanding of the ransomware attack, you ought to seek out the computer infected first. In most cases, it is simple to identify the source of the infection on your computer by looking at the properties of the infected files and looking into who is the owner of then files.
How to Prevent Ransomware Attacks
Ensure that you are safe from ransomware by installing an original copy of operating system on your computer and keeping abreast of the updates. It is also best to keep copies of your data on an external drive or in the cloud. This way a ransomware attack will not harm you at great lengths.
In conclusion, you can change your online behavior. Stop downloading attachments from unknown senders; do not click on links from spam emails, etc. Go a step further to deactivate plugins you rarely use.
