To say ransomware is getting out of hand would be a monumental understatement. With more businesses than ever utilizing cloud infrastructure and remote work technology, cybercriminals are having a field day exploiting operations with malicious programming. Ransomware attacks cause severe financial loss, technical damage, and in some cases, loss of access to important shared resources. A recent report even claimed a ransomware attack contributed to the death of an infant patient at a Alabama hospital.

If business leaders are serious about preventing digital resources from being compromised by cybercriminals, immediate action must be taken to ensure proper security measures are in place.

Here are some basic tips to consider when developing a cybersecurity strategy for any company:

• Understand how employees are working, where they are working, and what devices are being used to ensure all bases are covered.
• Create a company-wide strategy for how employees should respond in the event of a security breach, or if suspicious activity is taking place.
• Recognize valuable digital company assets to gage what hackers may be trying to gain access to, and encrypt them thoroughly
• Have offline backups in place for all essential digital files, to guarantee availability in the event of an attack.
• Don’t be shy with managed service providers about security concerns. Business leaders should understand the organizations they represent better than anyone, and should be diligent about pinpointing specific areas of concern for security matters.
• Send consistent reminders to employees about maintaining safe working habits, such as avoiding unknown emails, phone calls, or web links.
• Invest in cybersecurity insurance, even if you have advanced security measures in place. Cybersecurity solutions cannot always guarantee protection, and insurance offers an extra safety net in the event of an undetected attack.

If it hasn’t already been made clear, ransomware is not an issue to take lightly, especially as this activity continues to escalate in the post-pandemic economy. But with a proper security plan in place, leaders can work with less anxiety, knowing business operations have holistic protection against these devastating attacks.