Biting your nails. Snacking on candy. Staying up for “just one more episode” when you’re already tired. All bad habits.
And there are work-related ones, too. The worst is ploughing through emails without ever stopping to ask “Hey, could this email be fake?” It only takes one person clicking on one bad link in one email – and hackers get into your system and hold it hostage.
Yes, it’s shocking – but it really can be that simple.
Microsoft, Amazon, the FBI and other organizations have joined forces to create the Ransomware Task Force (RTF) to combat malware that holds your computer data ransom — ransomware. That's how bad the problem has become.
They recently presented President Biden with 50 recommendations about how to defend against this cyber wild west. The RTF report states that "more than just money is at stake" and says that, in just a few years, "ransomware has become a serious national security threat and public health and safety concern."
You only have to look at the Colonial Pipeline ransomware case to understand how hackers can create immense damage to operations. The potential for it to cripple oil and gas distribution along the eastern seaboard is immense.
Ransomware attacks are serious. If you don't think so, consider this small company's story: "I went into my IT department and the manager was pale and clearly shocked. He told me everything had gone. We watched live as all our product pictures for our websites were encrypted one after the other...
"At one point me and my boss actually wrote a press release declaring that the company was dead and out of business. They were the worst three weeks of my life…"
Software can give you a level of protection. But ultimately your employees are your best line of defense against ransomware and other types of cyber-attacks. But only if you train them properly. As the boundary between home and work continues to blur, it's getting easier to neglect cyber security and slip into bad habits. Give the right training to the right staff at the right time. Cyber security training is crucial, and it can be fun!
Our Managed IT services include 24/7/365 monitoring and preempting malicious software entering your computers. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all protection, either. We can customize cybersecurity to the type of business you run, to reduce the risk of malware slipping through defenses.
Hit reply to this email or give me a call at (425) 654-2502 if you’d like to talk about how we can bullet proof your cyber defenses!
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If you need technical support, feel free to call us at (425) 654-2502 or use our support request form.