InfoSec 2016: Why Ransomware Should Be Your Number One Concern

British businesses are under growing risk from the threat of ransomware as criminals realise the benefits of such attacks.

Speaking to TechWeekEurope at the recent InfoSecurity Europe 2016 event in London, ESET IT security specialist Mark James said that the destructive nature of ransomware has made it “a very real threat around at the moment”

“It’s not like normal malware, where it’s just a case of perseverance and knowledge to get rid of it,” James said.

“The problem with ransomware is that it is so effective once it has hold, with malware, typically with a bit of knowledge and perseverance you can get rid of it, but with ransomware, once the encryption has happened, it’s quite final.”

Effective

The UK has seen a major surge in attacks targeting businesses and consumers, many of whom are still ill-equipped to deal with ransomware threats.

“It’s an effective form, it just seems to work so well over here,” James said, “the problem, as with any type of malware, is that it’s user-driven…you tend to find with any successful malware routines that if they are good, and start to trick people, it just snowballs.”

He advises frequent backups as the most effective way to protect your data.

“(Backup) should absolutely be top of your list – backup is 100 percent your most effective way of recovering from ransomware,” he said.

“It’s OK having your Windows up to date, but if you’re not keeping your applications up to date, it’s a bit like locking your doors but leaving your windows open – you need to look at the whole thing as a single solution.”

Check out the full interview with Mark below:

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