5 Mistakes Companies Make That Lead To Ransomware Attacks

Right now, there are a lot of companies that are thinking carefully about how they can protect themselves against the dangers of a ransomware attack. A potential RYUK ransomware attack has the potential to take down a business, even a micro business. For this reason, companies need to do everything they can to protect themselves against a potential ransomware attack. Companies need to take a look at a few common mistakes that other businesses make that could leave them vulnerable to an attack.

Not Making Employees Use a VPN

First, a lot of businesses do not make their employees use a VPN. A VPN is a virtual private network. This is a tool that you can use to protect yourself against people spying on your actions, stealing your information, or tracking your location. You can use a VPN to encrypt your information as you or your employees work. If you have employees who work remotely, you need to make them use a VPN. The security information on the home network systems of your employees do not necessarily mimic those of your business. Therefore, you should ask them to use a VPN to protect the information of the company and its customers.

Not Teaching Employees About a Social Engineering Attack

Next, you need to teach your employees about a social engineering attack. A lot of businesses do not teach their employees about the dangers of a social engineering attack, which is commonly how ransomware criminals get into the network. Employees need to be trained to recognize what this attack looks like. That way, they do not mistakenly surrender their username and password to someone who is trying to execute a ransomware attack. If employees know what a ransomware attack looks like, they will not be tricked into surrendering their information.

Not Making Employees Change Their Passwords

Another mistake that businesses make is not asking employees to change their passwords. There are some situations where employees might surrender their credentials and not realize it. One of the ways to deal with this risk is to make employees change their passwords from time to time. For example, companies should ask employees to change their passwords every few weeks. Companies also need to ask their employees to use a capital letter, a lowercase letter, and a symbol in all of their passwords. This can strengthen passwords, making them more difficult to crack. Employees need to change their passwords every few weeks.

Not Installing Software Updates

Furthermore, a lot of companies make the mistake of not installing software updates. Even though these software updates can be annoying, they are there for a reason. Companies need to make sure they install these updates when they see them instead of waiting until the last minute. Often, these software updates have been put in place to cover vulnerabilities that might have been uncovered in the files. Companies might want to put a policy into place of automatically installing software updates at night when they are not going to disrupt the daily operations of the company. That way, they always get installed and employees do not have to worry about disrupting their workflows to get the updates installed.

Not Calling the Professionals for Help

Finally, a lot of businesses make the mistake of not asking a professional to help them protect themselves against a ransomware attack. Company leaders have a lot to do on a daily basis, and they might not have time to keep up with the latest information related to a ransomware attack. Instead of always lagging behind the professionals, it is a good idea to work with cybersecurity professionals who understand what a ransomware attack looks like and how to protect against one. The best way to deal with a ransomware attack is to prevent it from happening, and the pros can do exactly that.

Protect Companies Against a Ransomware Attack

These are a few of the most important points that businesses need to keep in mind if they are looking for a way to protect themselves against a potential ransomware attack. With so many threats out there, it can be difficult for companies to protect themselves. Business leaders have a lot to do on a daily basis, and they may not have time to think about a ransomware attack. For this reason, business leaders need to make sure they avoid these mistakes. It is also prudent to reach out to professionals for help managing their ransomware defenses.