The Connection Between Phishing And Ransomware And How To Stay Alert

Ransomware is a type of virus that uses encryption to hold a victim’s data hostage. It is used by hacker to encrypt a user’s or organization’s vital data, making it impossible for them to access files, databases, or apps. Then a ransom is asked  to gain access. It’s a growing menace that generates billions of dollars in payouts to hackers while causing considerable damage and costs to businesses and government agencies.

When a corporation is affected by ransomware, they are quick to disclose the event, even if a thorough investigation may take a long time. Once they have all of the essential information, they can contact their consumers via email, website updates, social media, or even the press to inform them that their information is at risk.

How Is Phishing Connected to Ransomware?

Phishing and vulnerability exploits are the most common ransomware infection vectors.  Phishing is responsible for 41% of ransomware attacks out of these two. This is ultimately good news because phishing is something we can learn to identify and prevent by learning how scammers operate. Before we get into specific advice, keep in mind that phishing can take various forms, including emails, SMS, and voicemails. Also, be aware that con artists are skillfully impersonating some of the world’s most well-known businesses to trick you into handing over your passwords or installing malware on your device.

With that in mind, here are some suggestions for avoiding phishing.

1) Be wary of emails that ask you to take action

Do not click on anything or take any direct action from an email, call, or text that asks you to download software or pay a certain amount of money. Instead, go to the organization’s official website. This will keep you from unintentionally downloading malicious information from phishing links or handing over money.

2)Hover over links to see the URL and double-check it

If someone sends you a message that includes a link, linger over it without clicking. You will be able to see a link preview as a result of this. If the URL appears to be questionable, do not connect with it and delete the message.

3)Go straight to the source

To verify an offer, request, or link, check with the source directly rather than clicking on a link in an email or text message.

4) Be cautious when browsing

Google provides tools that detect untrusted websites and emails and prevents users from accessing them. Make sure you have settings turned on and never try to bypass them, no matter how tempting those websites or emails sound (like getting a million dollars for free).

What Should I Do In Case Of Ransomware Attack?

If you do become a victim of ransomware, the story is far from done. Here are eight remediation tips to assist you to reclaim your data and your peace of mind.

1. Make a copy of your data

To avoid the spread of ransomware, you should immediately disconnect any infected devices from your networks. This means that ransomware will lock you out of your data and prevent you from moving the infected files. As a result, it’s critical to keep backup copies of them on hand, preferably in the cloud and on an external hard drive. If you do get infected with ransomware, you can wipe your computer or device clean and restore your contents from backup. Backups won’t stop ransomware from infecting your computer, but they can help you lessen the hazards.

2. Modify your login credentials

If you find out that a company you’ve done business with has been compromised by a data breach or a ransomware attack, change your passwords for all of your accounts right away. And while you’re at it, use the following advice to build passwords that are extremely difficult to decipher.

3. Be concerned about password security

Always make sure your password is strong and unique when upgrading your credentials. Make sure you have a variety of passwords so that if one is hacked, hackers won’t be able to access all of your accounts at once. To keep track of your credentials and generate secure login keys, you can use a password manager.

4. Enable multi-factor authentication or two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication, often known as multi-factor authentication, adds an extra layer of protection by requiring two forms of verification. For example, you may be requested to confirm your identity using a different device, such as a phone. Hackers will be less likely to succeed in impersonating you as a result of this.

5. Use the internet safely

Be cautious about where you click. Do not respond to unsolicited emails or SMS messages, and only download apps from reputable sources. This is critical because malware authors frequently employ social engineering to persuade you to install harmful files. One method to browse more safely is to use a security plugin on your web browser.

6. Only connect to safe networks

Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks since many of them are insecure, allowing thieves to track your online activities. Instead, try using a VPN, which will give you a secure internet connection no matter where you go.

7. Never, ever, ever, Pay The Ransom

While ransomware assaults are most typically directed at major corporations, anyone could be the target of a ransomware attack. Don’t pay the ransom if this happens. Although you may believe that paying the ransom is the only option to recover your encrypted files, there is no guarantee that once the ransom is paid, the ransomware writers will send a decryption tool.

Paying the ransom encourages the spread of other ransomware families, thus it’s preferable to avoid paying it.

8. Make use of a security system that is all-encompassing

A VPN or Virtual Private Network is one of the best precautions that one can take while surfing the internet. This is because a VPN masks your IP address and protects your identity online. The threat actors will not have a clue and will not be able to trace those connections that are protected by a VPN server. There are many VPN network providers but we recommend using Systweak VPN, which has thoroughly been tried and tested by us.

One of the best VPN services for Windows is Systweak VPN, which combines smart DNS with a kill switch. This VPN for Windows protects your online privacy by allowing anonymous browsing and concealing your IP address with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. You can bypass ISP throttling by using our free VPN service. Systweak VPN has several useful functions in addition to masking your IP address and protecting you from the dangers of public Wi-Fi.

There are no restrictions based on location. When using a virtual private network application like Systweak VPN, all IP region-based restrictions imposed by streaming services like Netflix are removed.

Maintains the security and privacy of the user. By preventing hackers from tracing your original IP address or location, a VPN application provides privacy and protection. Your laptop is also free of viruses, malware, and other types of trackers.

Securely sharing files. You may rest comfortably knowing that data exchanged over a public Wi-Fi network is encrypted and unreadable by hackers.

Secure remote access. If you activate your VPN on any network, including public Wi-Fi, you may rapidly set up remote access from your laptop to your company or home computer.

The Final Word On The Connection Between Phishing And Ransomware And How To Stay Alert

A Ransomware Attack is one of the dreaded attacks on your PC that can make all your files and programs useless and inaccessible. There is no guarantee that you might be able to decrypt your files back to normal even after paying the threat actors. This type of infiltration is usually done by phishing emails. Hence backing up your data is the best way to get it all back safe and sound.

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