{"id":733,"date":"2015-07-15T10:47:41","date_gmt":"2015-07-15T08:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/elementor.itaf.eu\/?p=733"},"modified":"2023-10-05T14:06:47","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T12:06:47","slug":"7-ways-to-prevent-cryptolocker-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/en\/7-ways-to-prevent-cryptolocker-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"7 ways to prevent Cryptolocker attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"

One day you can lose all of your data. Your business files can disappear in a second with a simple click. Many of you have already experienced this. And those of you that haven\u2019t \u2013 you just haven\u2019t yet. Data loss can happen at any time and in many ways \u2013 it can be due a physical failure of your PC, theft, fire and even a dropped coffee mug. But it also can be a work of a hacking or some other cyber crime, so it’s very important to prevent Cryptolocker attacks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

CryptoLocker is a ransomware trojan<\/strong> which targets computers running Microsoft Windows<\/strong>. It appeared in 2013. and it is typically propagated as an email attachment<\/strong> from a legitimate company. Maybe it sounds like an easy deal, but with a simple click it can become a real nightmare for any business. These are the 7 ways to prevent Cryptolocker attacks:<\/p>\n

1. Back up your data<\/h2>\n

Best way to defeat ransomware is to have a regular updated backup. If you are attacked maybe you will lose this morning work, but your business data from the previous backup can be easily restored and saved.<\/p>\n

2. Educate your employees about the CryptoLocker attacks<\/h2>\n

Since CryptoLocker malware comes through infected attachments in mail, best prevention is educating employees to recognize unwanted mails<\/a> and trash them. CryptoLocker comes in a form of an .exe file (example: Invoice.pdf.exe), an executable file unsafe to open if it comes from an email or the internet. Best way to educate your employees is by conducting continuous security awareness training<\/a> and phishing simulations.<\/p>\n

3. Use an anti-virus, and keep it up to date<\/h2>\n

Many CryptoLocker victims had a malware inside their PCs without even knowing about it! A cloud based security solution<\/a> will provide complete protection against all major threats, including CryptoLocker all the time. Prevention is first step to safety!<\/p>\n

4. Keep your operating system and software up to date<\/h2>\n

Malware authors frequently rely on people running outdated software with known vulnerabilities, which they can exploit to sneak into computers unnoticed through security holes. Enable automatic updates if you can, or go directly to the software vendor\u2019s website, as malware authors like to disguise their creations as software update notifications too.<\/p>\n

5. Review your user permissions and tighten up wherever you can<\/h2>\n

Ensure that none of your users have local administration rights unless absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n

6. Use advanced Firewall tools that can block encrypted methods<\/h2>\n

Using a cloud-based security intelligence network, the ability to detect and block malware using sandbox technology is improved. Any known malware is automatically blocked, with suspicious files being placed in a isolation to be tested before infection can occur.<\/p>\n

7. Use the ITAF Spamcluster<\/h2>\n

Unreceived mail will certainly not be opened! ITAF provides a spamcluster which filters mails with suspicious attachments. This way end user never gets the fake e-mail and a chance to open the infected attachment. In any case, prevention is always the best cure!<\/p>\n

What if it is too late to prevent Cryptolocker attacks?<\/h2>\n

The cryptolocker locks extensions that are used daily from docx, xlsx, pptx, jpg, to mp3 and more… If it is too late, the following files are impacted:<\/p>\n