How Ransomware Can Eat Up Your Business With Insecure IT Disposal

Ransomware Virus!! By just saying, the word conjures up images of lost data systems, locked downs and whole organizations coming to a grinding halt. It has happened to hospitals, corporations, government agencies and more. It's a threat that continues to grow. Kaspersky Labs data records a 43.3% increase in the number of users hit by the ransomware virus. The growing market of cybercriminals shows no signs of slowing down. With ransomware, cybercriminals use different methods to take control of the victim’s computer encrypting files. This can happen due to insecure systems or insecure IT disposal. They keep the data hostage by locking the screen and demanding payment or changing the computers Master Boot Record so that it interrupts the normal start-up process. By taking control of a computer, cybercriminals hope to coerce the victim into paying a ransom. The thing about ransomware is that it usually just catches people off-guard. Where someone might be comfortable thinking everything is working just fine and that they will be safe even if they have done insecure IT disposal. Then you get hit by the virus, and then you realize that either you don’t have a backup of your data or the backup you have is out-of-date. Depending on your conditions, you only have two options, either to wipe your data or pay the ransom. Many people consider paying the ransom. Ask yourself, what would you do in this situation?

What is Ransomware 

Let’s understand what ransomeware is. Ransomware is a type of malware virus that has a distinct purpose. The sole purpose is to seize files from people and compel them to pay the ransom. People usually pay the ransom by using the digital currency called the Bitcoin.

Tactics of Ransomware Attacks

The virus attackers use many tactics to attack the victims with a virus. The most widely used are the two that I will talk about.

EMAIL

The first one on the list is, unfortunately, the most effective and most widely used, is “EMAIL”. Where email is one of the most used communication medium, it is the most vulnerable as well. Any computer can be infected through a virus infection or random spam. The process happens by the malware author sending emails to people or businesses saying something like “this is your invoice or receipt of your payment.” The attachment can be in the form of a PDF or Microsoft word document. The malicious code is implanted on the file as a macro. If the user got the program version then the author is really relying on the view that they don’t have file extensions turned on in their systems. So the file could be named a dot PDF file but really if you were able to see the extensions you could see that it was an exe. File. Now if they get the word document version, they actually have to take another step to get them infected. This is because Microsoft Word by default turns off macros on files that come from other computers. So, usually, the word document will still have a bunch of scrambled text in it with big red letters saying that the user has to enable editing to view the document.

PIRATED SOFTWARE

I'm pretty sure that you can highly relate to this one too. This is common too as pirated software are all over and people use the pirated versions for number of reasons. So, when you download the latest software of photoshop and try to use crack, that was included to make it work for ransomware. Here’s the thing, remember that you should download the software from authentic websites.

INSECURE IT DISPOSAL

This is quite clear and common sense that insecure IT disposal will put your IT equipment at risk. Ask yourself, what you do when any of your IT equipment doesn’t work anymore. Well, a majority of people just dump them. This is when your data in particular equipment is at risk. You think that the IT equipment is of no use but not for the attackers. They look for this type of IT equipment and keep your data. Fighting ransomware is difficult, they are just like leeches, and they suck out your data and are highly difficult to get rid of. However, remember it is not impossible. With some precautionary steps you can ensure data security. With email virus, you can prevent it by making clear guidelines not to open the files. Concerned to Pirated software, download software through authentic website, this can prevent any type of virus file. For insecure IT disposal, finding a secure Computer Recycling company is the key.
STAY PROTECTED, STAY RUNNING!!