Ransomware kits are freely available to criminals and creating their own ransomware attacks has never been easier. Learn how to protect yourself from ransomware with these 4 simple tips on computer security. Your antivirus may not be able to block the attack, so you need to be cyber smart. Say no to ransomware, starting right now.
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Follow These Tips To Stay Safe From Ransomware
- Don’t open attachments or click on links in emails unless you are absolutely sure that the source can be trusted. Even if you are awaiting a UPS or DHL parcel, that email about the missed delivery is probably not from them!
- Exercise caution when searching the web for content through search engines. Many sites exist only to lure you in and then trick you into downloading malware. A good web shield will help you and many of the paid for antivirus suites will contain one. In general, the results delivered by Google or DuckDuckGo are likely to be safer than those delivered by other search engines. I wouldn’t trust AOL, Yahoo or Bing search results as far as I could throw them (which really isn’t very far)!
- Always keep a backup of your trusted data OFFLINE. This means on a device which you disconnect from your computer, such as a USB hard drive. It is NOT enough to rely on having a copy of your files in cloud storage services such as DropBox, OneDrive or iCloud, as these will get overwritten if your local copies of those files are encrypted and then synced to the cloud. Even NAS drives are susceptible if it just appears as a drive letter in Windows Explorer and the data is stored as standard files and folders. Try using Windows 10s built in backup feature, or Acronis True Image, to an external drive. If your Internet upload speed is decent, you could look into cloud backup services such as Carbonite and iDrive.
- Run Windows 10 on your PC. Many of you may have refused the free upgrade to Windows 10, or even worse still be running on Windows Vista or Windows XP. Windows 10 is the operating system best equipped to keep you safe from ransomware, to use any other version is unsafe. Windows 10 is excellent, as simple to use as Windows 7 and much simpler than Windows 8. I would recommend it to everyone, unless you need an older version of Windows for compatibility with your business software, but even then there are options to use a virtual machine.
Still Running Windows XP or Vista? Windows 10 Is Your Friend.
If you are still running Windows XP or Vista, you should be considering a replacement computer. We provide new and refurbished computers and advice on the best new laptop for your needs. If you are still running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, you may want to upgrade to Windows 10. The mileage you’ll get from upgrading an old PC or laptop varies. If you need any help with upgrading or advice regarding your online security and backup practices, get in touch. We’re here to help! Call us on 0800 073 1478, email helpme@computerrepairman.co.uk or send us a message.