You’ve probably spent a lot of time, effort and money to protect your computer network from malicious attacks. But no computer network is completely bulletproof from getting a virus, so it’s inevitable that it will happen to you one day. You can have the best network IT security services in the world, but you also need to have a plan in the event that ransomware takes over. Here are some steps to take in order to make the process as efficient and pain-free as possible.
1. Make Sure You’re Dealing with Ransomware
Just because your computer is slow or not working properly doesn’t automatically mean ransomware has infected it. You could spend hours trying to clean up a virus that doesn’t even exist on your computer or network. Run a system scan first to see what you’re dealing with. But before you do that, make sure to have cloud storage solutions to store your files just in case it really is a virus and spreads quickly.
2. See if Other People Have Dealt With Your Virus
Use a search engine to see if other people are dealing with the same symptoms on their computers. If you have a virus, chances are you will find a lot of results from people with similar issues. This could help you quickly identify what the problem is and read about what other people have done to solve the issue.
3. Get a New Virus Scanner
In addition to backup solutions for small businesses, a virus scanner is a critical piece of software to have for your network. But if your network is infected by ransomware, then the virus scanner obviously didn’t do its job. You may consider investing in a newer model, which may be able to detect viruses better. But just make sure to keep your virus scanner up to date, otherwise, it’s just as good as not having one at all.
4. Uninstall Old Software and Update New Programs Frequently
It never hurts to uninstall any type of antivirus software you have and start all over. When ransomware takes over, it’s safe to assume your old software has been compromised. When using IT security services, they will likely recommend starting over from scratch and installing a brand new software and updating it frequently.
No one ever wants to deal with cleaning up a ransomware attack, but it’s good to have a plan just in case. Be sure to contact us for more tips on how to prevent attacks and what to do if they occur.
