- Instal security software. To help protect your data, install and use a trusted security suite that offers more than just antivirus features, for your devices, online privacy, and identity
- Up-to date your security software. New ransomware variants continue to appear, so having up-to-date internet security software will help protect you against cyberattacks, multi-layered, advanced security helps protect against existing and emerging malware threats to your devices, and help protect your private and financial information when you go onlin
- Up-to date your operating system and other software. Software updates frequently include patches for newly discovered security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by ransomware attackers.
- Don’t automatically open email attachments. Email is one of the main methods for delivering ransomware. Avoid opening emails and attachments from unfamiliar or untrusted sources. Phishing spam in particular can fool you into clicking on a legitimate-looking link in an email that actually contains malicious code. The malware then prevents you from accessing your data, holds that data hostage, and demands ransom.
- Do be wary of any email attachment that advises you to enable macros to view its content. Once enabled, macro malware can infect multiple files. Unless you are absolutely sure the email is genuine and from a trusted source, delete the email.
- Do back up important data to an external hard drive. Attackers can gain leverage over their victims by encrypting valuable files and making them inaccessible. If the victim has backup copies, the cybercriminal loses some advantage. Backup files allow victims to restore their files once the infection has been cleaned up. Ensure that backups are protected or stored offline so that attackers can’t access them.
- Do use cloud services. This can help mitigate a ransomware infection, since many cloud services retain previous versions of files, allowing you to “roll back” to the unencrypted form.
- Don’t pay the ransom. Keep in mind, you may not get your files back even if you pay a ransom. A cybercriminal could ask you to pay again and again, extorting money from you but never releasing your data.
- Make sure you are leveraging the full set of protection features delivered in your security software
