How To Protect Yourself From A Ransomware Attack

A local nonprofit called NorthCare, which helps residents with mental illness and trauma treatment, is the latest metro victim of a cyberattack.

Hackers are holding companies' hostage for money, which are causing temporary shutdowns, increasing prices and compromising data.

These ransomware attacks are impacting individuals and businesses of all sizes.

Alias Cybersecurity chief executive officer Donovan Farrow in Oklahoma City said hackers don't care what type of business you happen to be. If they can get ahold of your data, they will.

“At the end of the day, you are actually a data shop, whether that is oil or gas, medical, or any type of public service,” Farrow said. “Once that data is encrypted, you don't have data and you don't have a business anymore."

Farrow said all businesses need to set up a plan to protect themselves from cyberattacks.

“It is never going to go away,” Farrow said. “You can't litigate it away because it makes a lot of money. Until we come up with a plan, and people start doing their due diligence and come up with a plan, it is never going to stop.”

For those who think they have a plan, Farrow said it is a good idea to contact a company that specializes in cyber security to double-check.

"It is very important to have a yearly or quarterly cyber security assessment or pin test,” Farrow said.  

According to Farrow, these hackers don't have to do a lot of work. They know how to scan the internet and reign in the data.

Rather than sharing your data, they are encrypting it, so you can't access the information you need.

For the everyday person, Farrow said less is more. Consider your technology usage and how much is truly necessary.

"The more you are connecting, the more risk you have,” Farrow said. “It is only a matter of time before they start attacking you.”

Farrow suggested two-factor authentication can be an easy and effective way to protect your online accounts.