Why is ransomware so dangerous — what should a business our size prioritize?

Attackers usually break in via brute-force attacks on exposed remote desktop ports or through fake invoice phishing emails. Once inside, the first thing they do is wipe network shares and shadow copies. Disable the SMB1 protocol on your server and make sure no ports are left open to the outside world during port scans.

We went through something similar two years ago. Came in one morning and our entire 4-year design archive had a .locked extension. We didn't pay the ransom because even if you pay, there's no guarantee you'll get the key. Since then, every Friday evening I back up accounting and CAD drawings to an external hard drive, unplug it, and lock it in the boss's cabinet.

So many businesses out there think installing licensed antivirus means they're completely covered. Antivirus can't detect brand-new zero-day variants. If you rely on antivirus and slack on backups, your system is gone on the very first phishing email.

First thing tomorrow morning do these two things: 1) Unplug the external hard drive from the accounting PC. 2) Check Windows updates across all computers and patch any missing security updates.

warn your staff honestly, that's where things blow up the most. they send fake package tracking links or fake e-arşiv invoice emails, our accountant almost clicked one out of curiosity. tell them to never open suspicious attachments.

For basic internal security hygiene, post these three rules on the bulletin board: 1) Never open zip or exe files from unverified email attachments. 2) No personal flash drives plugged into work computers. 3) Always lock your screen when stepping away from your desk.

In the event of a data breach caused by ransomware, you may be required to notify the Kişisel Verileri Koruma Kurumu within the statutory timeframe. The security of customer and employee records entails legal liability.

What if we just upload the files to cloud storage and sync them with the computer can they encrypt the files in the cloud too? Or does the cloud protect them automatically?

I'll try it.

I agree, and I'd like to emphasize that. Payment information changes are never verified through the channel they came from.

This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

I've been dealing with this for a long time. The answer varies greatly by industry; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

Trying to do this alone is the most expensive way. Hope this helps.

You're right.

My questions are cleared up thanks.

I feel the same way. If 2FA is on, a stolen password alone is useless.

Start with a small trial; don't commit to everything at once. I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

Same here. The harder it is to reverse a decision, the slower you should make it.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think it's hard to be that definitive about what is ransomware. If permission and scope aren't in writing, don't start that test.

Start with a small trial; don't commit to everything at once. If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.

Timely topic. The real issue isn't the number but what it's based on.

Good luck with that.

Thanks for writing this, that's the right way. The biggest time-waster for us was not knowing who had the final say.

If you get three different answers on a topic, the question was asked wrong. If you post the result here, it will help others too.