Doing business online makes things easier and more convenient for you and your customers, but the internet comes with risks. Throughout the years, cyber threats of varying effectiveness have gained notoriety among online communities. If you are an eCommerce leader or someone handling their own website, you need protection against ransomware and other malware.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a cyber threat that encrypts files to make them unusable or prevents a user from accessing their computer. The ones behind a ransomware attack usually demand money from the user so the latter could access the files or computer again — hence the name. Situations like this will cause considerable damage to your website and in turn, your online business operations.

1. Prepare regular backups and a recovery plan
Ensure that you keep a backup of your files so that you can revert to them in case the files get encrypted by ransomware. Your recovery plan should include steps to restore your files or system in case of a large-scale attack.

You should have experts perform regular backups so that you have a copy of your files’ latest versions kept safe. This way, your business can recover faster which is key especially in situations like this, to prevent further loss in sales.

2. Update your OS and antivirus software
Whether you use Microsoft, iOS or some other operating system, keep it updated with the latest patches. These patches or updates address the latest cybersecurity threats that may target the OS or software you’re using.

An updated OS gives you peace of mind because you know it helps secure your computers against ransomware attacks. A gravely outdated OS would leave your system vulnerable to sophisticated cyber-attacks from its lack of relevant security patches.

3. Scan all emails and downloaded files
Ransomware can penetrate your computer through emails or downloads, so be sure to scan these first. Enable email filtering for your computers, in which you set your inbox to automatically block or remove suspicious emails instead of letting them in.

Through email filtering, ransomware scams get removed before they get viewed by your team members in their inbox. An expert can further educate you on suspicious emails and what to watch out for.

4. Restrict non-administrator privileges
It’s good practice to only have a few or one administrator account. This helps prevent the ransomware from completely taking over a team or company’s network of computers.

Restricting privileges means that non-administrator users would not be able to install unnecessary or external applications. This is so whether that user is your team member or a cyberattacker. Only the administrator can perform such actions.

5. Update default or weak passwords to secure ones
Hackers today can penetrate security measures using advanced and insidious methods. One such example is brute-force attacks, in which the hacker uses trial-and-error to correctly guess your log-in information.

They may use a computer programme that exhausts all possible combinations of characters until they successfully guess your password. Since default passwords are the ones that computers automatically generate, these may be easily guessed by a hacker’s computer programme. Make sure to update default or old passwords to secure ones that only you know.

6. Train your team to spot cyber threats
Lastly, don’t forget to cascade information to your team. Make sure that everyone who has access to your company’s computer knows how to spot ransomware and other cyber threats.

Incorporate this information in your onboarding of new members, and remind older teammates if needed. It helps to tap an expert that can explain ransomware protection and other cybersecurity topics in easily understandable ways to your team.

7. Know the devices connected to your network
Besides computers, you must know what other devices might be connected to your network. This could be something as inconspicuous as a smart vending machine or it could be something poorly secured, such as a WiFi printer.

Check if these devices are sufficiently protected against ransomware before such cyber threats attack leave your system vulnerable. This also lets you disconnect devices that are no longer helpful in your operations.