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Your company was just hit with ransomware What next

Your company was just hit with ransomware. What next?

Hypothetically speaking, you open your laptop and there it is, a ransom note telling you that all your company’s data has been compromised. Your emails, accounting information, customer data, everything is compromised. The message tells you that there is one way to get the data back and that is to pay large sums of money to the hackers who have your data held at ransom. I’m sure that we can all agree, that sounds like a really bad day.

The harsh reality is that this scenario is not as rare as corporate perception implies. There are mitigating steps that can be taken and most importantly…being proactive is key. Prevention is much more seamless than reaction. Partnering with a managed service provider is the best way to ensure that your data is protected against attacks such as these. But, there are a few immediate preventive steps that should be taken.

Unfortunately, there are businesses that do not come back from such attacks. The amount of business closing their doors as a result of cyber-attacks can be staggering. Taking the above mentioned initial steps is a start to prevention, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. Take time to meet with your IT provider that will connect you with a qualified cyber security consultant to determine a full cyber security strategy.

Even with prevention, there may come a time when you need to urgently address a cyber security threat to your network. The following are steps to be taken if you find yourself in this situation:

Beware! Many businesses immediately pay the ransom as a kneejerk reaction. Often, paying the ransom does not guarantee that you will get data back. Consult with your managed service provider before doing this. They will assess the situation and make sure that all factors are considered before creating a solution.

Paying the ransom may seem like the easiest way out, but it brings on other concerns and raises red flags. Once a cyber criminal realizes that you are willing to pay the ransom, they are likely to repeat attacks in order to get the same results- more money in their pockets.

One trend that you may recognize throughout this article is the importance of having a managed service provider before, during and after this process. If your company does not have an outsourced IT department, feel free to contact NexusTek at the link below to discuss options for your business and to be proactive when it comes to ransomware.