October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which was established to promote the role that cybersecurity plays in our everyday lives. Now in its 18th year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month was founded by the National Security Alliance and the Department of Homeland Security. Recently, ransomware attacks have hit our schools, hospitals, small businesses, etc. and are a major focus of this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

No business is immune from a ransomware attack. Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a victim's files and folders. Malware is short form for malicious software and is a blanket term for viruses and other harmful computer programs.

The cybercriminal who performs these attacks usually demands a ransom to restore the data upon payment. Please take a moment to learn more about ransomware below- what it is, how to identify, and how to prevent it.

A few simple precautions taken to prevent ransomware attacks will help you avoid the hours of work (and frustration) necessary to restore your files if your data is compromised. In light of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, please be sure to check out the rest of our Information Security posts.

Sources:

https://www.digitaldefense.com/blog/infographic-the-latest-ransomware-facts/

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3236183/what-is-ransomware-how-it-works-and-how-to-remove-it.html

https://security.harvard.edu/files/it-security/files/ransomware.pdf?m=1610564130

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/09/30/a-proclamation-on-cybersecurity-awareness-month-2021/

https://staysafeonline.org/programs/cybersecurity-awareness-month/