Did you know that 76% of organisations were targeted by ransomware in 2022? Data disasters are not an everyday issue, which is why they so often take people by surprise. Every small and medium-sized business should have a plan for dealing with ransomware, since more than any organisation, they can’t afford to lose their data. Kingston IronKey offers hardware-based encryption options to securely back up your company’s critical data. The line offers data protection against numerous varieties of cyberattacks and can provide a means of circumventing ransomware demands.
What does ransomware do?
The FBI calls ransomware a type of malware that prevents computer users from accessing their files, systems or networks until a ransom is paid. It finds its way onto computers via email attachments, by clicking on ads, following links or just visiting a site infested with malware. It is rarely apparent right away. The first sign of ransomware on your computer is usually when you can no longer access your data and a message demanding a ransom payment flashes up. Often, your data files are encrypted with no way to overcome the encryption.
The FBI recommends that ransomware victims do not pay their attackers to recover their data. As well as encouraging further ransomware attacks (80% of ransomware victims suffer repeat attacks), there is no guarantee that access to your data will be returned. Payments are often demanded in Bitcoin, which is untraceable and cannot be recovered if your data is left inaccessible.
