You may not have been impacted by WannaCry, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to worry about ransomware attacks and other cyber crimes in the future.

Ransomware is dangerous for businesses of all sizes as those behind the attacks can and will delete all documents stored on the device if the ransom is not paid.

It’s impossible to predict who will be impacted by such an attack and when, but there are certain steps you can take to protect your business.

1. Update your OS

The WannaCry ransomware targeted computers using older versions of the Windows operating system. It is important to keep your software updated and to download security patches when they arrive. Manufacturers stop supporting older operating systems after ten years or so. This will be well publicised and users should follow the instructions of the manufacturers to ensure their devices are secure as possible.

2. Get anti-virus protection

Download anti-virus software, update it often and run it regularly. This will sweep your device for anything untoward.

3. Be alert

We are forever alerting you to phishing scams to be wary of, but it’s worth exercising extra caution when opening unexpected emails containing links and or attachments. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of something, delete it.

4. Backup

It may some time to do, but backing up files is the best way to protect your documents from a ransomware attack. In a ransomware attack, files are encrypted and inaccessible. If you have a backup copy, you can restore these files from the back-up. This makes the attacks powerless in your organisation. A ransomware attack will be little more than an inconvenience.

There are many backup options available including Cloud based solutions and external drives. It’s worth speaking with an IT professional to see which option will best meet your needs.