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Issue No. 107July 2021

Ransomware Avoidance Tips

We ran this article a few years back, but as ransomware attacks are growing in frequency we decided to highlight the contents of this article again.

The ransomware business model has turned out to be a lucrative industry for criminals. Over the years its ill repute has made law enforcement team up with international agencies to identify and bring down scam operators. Most of the ransomware attacks that focused on enterprise and SMB targets in the past have been linked to poor security practices by employees.

There are a few “do’s” and “don’ts” when it comes to ransomware.

  1. Do not provide personal information when answering an email, unsolicited phone call, text message or instant message. Phishers will try to trick employees into installing malware, or gain intelligence for attacks by claiming to be from IT. Be sure to contact your IT department if you or your coworkers receive suspicious calls.
  2. Use reputable antivirus software and a firewall. Maintaining a strong firewall and keeping your security software up to date are critical. It’s important to use antivirus software from a reputable company because of all the fake software out there.
  3. Do employ content scanning and filtering on your mail servers. Inbound e-mails should be scanned for known threats and should block any attachment types that could pose a threat.
  4. Do make sure that all systems and software are up-to-date with relevant patches. Exploit kits hosted on compromised websites are commonly used to spread malware. Regular patching of vulnerable software is necessary to help prevent infection.
  5. If traveling, alert your IT department beforehand, especially if you’re going to be using public wireless Internet. Make sure you use a trustworthy Virtual Private Network (VPN) when accessing public Wi-Fi.
  6. Do not plug in found flash drives or memory cards to determine their contents—this is a common attack vector for ransomware delivery.
  7. Do not allow untrusted individuals remote or physical access to your computer. If you’re concerned, contact your supervisor or your IT department.
  8. Do not provide password information via email. No software vendor, bank, IT department, or government agency will request your password via email.
  9. Do err on the side of caution. It is always better to open an ‘unnecessary’ ticket with your IT department than to compromise a corporate network by opening a malicious email.

Ongoing employee education is one of the most important means you have of protecting your environment from ransomware. Among the things we consistently re-iterate with our clients are simple things, like quarterly emails reminding all team-members not to click on suspicious links, open suspect attachments, or provide their password via email.

Source: Norton

If you believe you’ve been a victim of a ransomware attack,
the first step for our clients would be to immediately contact us at:
858-952-5400 x 0 or [email protected]

For more information, please check the resources below:
https://www.ic3.gov/Home/Ransomware
https://www.ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint

 

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“We’re building a solid IT foundation to be able to go where we need to be for growth and success. I couldn’t be more pleased with KTS’s performance and progress on our IT Projects.”

Shawn Ellis, CFO Custom Logos

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“Both company email migrations have were completed without a problem. Thanks to your team both transitions went smooth.Everyone with your group are both knowledgeable and professional, and you should be proud of the organization you are building.”

John Sonnen, IT & Security Director Child Safety Network

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“We have been using KTS for our IT support for about a year now, and we are very pleased with the service we have received. Chris has been our first line person, and has been able to resolve issues quickly, and often remotely, which helps reduce costs. Our staff has really appreciated his fast response and resolution to the issues that have come up. We have also appreciated that there are other folks at KTS who can fill in if Chris is out. Thanks to all!”

Suzy Halleland, Executive Administrator Village Church

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“I think you know we have been very happy with your service and are very grateful to have been referred to you guys. But on a more personal note, I want you to know that Kevin in your office has provided a service for us that is way over the top.”

Jeff Golumbuk, CEO Custom Logos

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Nick Walters, VP Project Management West Coast General Corp.

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“I wanted to let you know that I am absolutely delighted with the service we have received from you and your team so far. I know we put you in a tough position with such short notice of having to jump in and take over, and we really appreciated that. But there are many other reasons as well. First, I’m so glad they discovered the hard drive problem right away, as that could have caused us a huge issue as you well know. Second, everyone that I’ve had the pleasure to work wi… Read more
Jo Barsa, CPA Barsa & Company

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“Kazmarek is fantastic!  I’ve used every size of IT company over the past 20 years and Kazmarek is by far superior to all I’ve used.  We are extremely happy with their service and expertise.  One of the things I like most about them is that they have engineers available to respond to our prioritized needs but they also wanted to give us the best customer service possible so they went above and beyond and put in place an escalation plan so that if I feel the response time i… Read more
Marisa Janine-Page, Partner Caldarelli Hejmanowski Page & Leer LLP

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“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Kazmarek team through the years! They are responsive and have a great team to work with, whether it’s day-to-day IT needs or special projects. ”
KC Martin, HR Director Full Swing Golf

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“As a local San Diego business, we were looking to partner with another local business after our IT needs just weren’t being met with a nationwide provider. We could not be happier with our decision since KTS has been very swift, attentive, and collaborative with our IT needs over the past three years. Their engineers, support desk, and managers are patient and able to effectively communicate issues and solutions to a layperson which speaks volumes about their hiring and customer… Read more
Carrie Lamb, Project Manager Chuao Chocolatier

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