Another week, another slew of ransomware attacks. This week, both JBS, one of the largest meat producers in the U.S., and the Massachusetts Steamship Authority, which services Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, saw their services disrupted by ransomware.
Those attacks follow last month’s Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, which cut off 45% of the East Coast’s fuel supply for nearly a week, causing panic buying and shortages in a number of southern states. Then there’s the continuing spate of attacks on hospitals that skyrocketed during the height of the pandemic.
But ransomware doesn’t just hit major corporations—it’s been happening to everyday people for years, and it’s still a threat today.
These are the best ways to avoid being the victim of an attack, and what to do if you’re unfortunate enough to get hit.
-
Avoid opening unknown solicited emails or visiting unknown sites.
-
Use antivirus software.
-
Do not pay a ransom.
-
Store your most important files online.
What is ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware that locks down your computer, keeping you from accessing your important files unless you pay a ransom — usually in the form of cryptocurrency. Think of ransomware as a lock on your content. The only way to supposedly get the key to the lock — and access to your photos and documents— is to pay up.
Criminals, of course, say they’ll give you the keys, but they’re criminals, which means you can’t trust them. They also like to scare victims by making their splash screens showing that you’ve been hacked look as frightening as possible. That’s all show, though.
That said, if you are infected, it’s very true that your files are likely locked down for good. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to avoid ransomware attacks.
Tread carefully online
Ransomware works in two main ways: via email or a drive-by download. In emails, ransomware attacks come in the form of phishing emails or emails from cybercriminals masquerading as emails from known providers like financial institutions, shipping agencies, or major retailers.
Those emails will contain links or files that, when clicked on, will download ransomware onto your computer. But malware doesn’t show up on every kind of device.
Drive-by downloads are malware threats that download to your computer from a fraudulent website. Click the link to the site, and it will download the ransomware to your computer.
Ransomware on your iPhone is incredibly rare. Android ransomware poses a larger threat, especially for people who download apps from third-party app stores. That’s because of the closed off nature of Apple’s (AAPL) iOS and Google’s (GOOG, GOOGL) Android.