Published on: 02 February 2023
Last Updated on: 13 September 2024
Ransomware attacks are on the rise. Because there’s currently no way to recover data once it has been encrypted by ransomware, it’s important to do everything in your power to prevent it from happening to you in the first place.
Here are steps and cyber security training you can take right now to help protect yourself against this cyber threat and all of its potentially devastating consequences.
Top 8 Ways To Prevent A Ransomware Attack
1. Maintain Backups
It’s important to maintain at least two copies of your data: one that remains in your possession and another which is backed up to offsite storage every night. Since you can’t access the backup version if you have been infected by ransomware, it’s important that you keep a second copy in a secure offline location. That way, even if the malware does encrypt your files, the ability to restore them will still exist.
2. Encrypt Files
You should encrypt all of your files before you send them over to your computer’s backup location, and also make sure that you have full, expert-level encryption as well as a strong password in place on the backup drive. Better safe than sorry.
3. Update Your Software
As with all software, there are always patches and updates available for your antivirus or anti-malware software that could prevent ransomware from taking hold in the first place. If you’re using endpoint protection software, make sure the update has been applied. If you’re using a third-party antivirus or anti-malware package, get it to update as well.
4. Develop Plans and Policies
Ransomware is a major threat to your business, and it can cause a major loss of revenue if you don’t have a plan in place to prevent it. Therefore, it’s important that you ensure that you have a backup policy and disaster recovery plan in place so that your company can act quickly in the event of a ransomware attack. Developing software protection policies, training users on backup procedures, and conducting penetration testing to find vulnerabilities and malicious activity are all effective ways of creating an effective prevention strategy.
5. Train the Team
You should train your team on how to respond should they encounter ransomware, how to avoid it happening in the first place, and what they can do if they do get compromised. Anti-malware software will help them recognize and protect against ransomware, but only if they know how to use it. The more training they receive, the better they will be at spotting ransomware, and the more likely they’ll be able to take action quickly when it occurs.
6. Monitor Files and Network Activities
Part of creating an effective backup plan is knowing where your files are located so that you can restore them. That way, if your computer is compromised, you can restore the files from your backup. You should also be monitoring for unauthorized access to both file-hosting and FTP sites. Additionally, it’s important to monitor all of the network activity from your computer so that you can determine if someone is trying to gain access to machines that aren’t theirs.
7. Implement an IDS
An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a network security tool designed to detect and block network intrusions, such as attempts to gain unauthorized access. Since ransomware will attempt to disguise itself in order to get past an IDS and infect your computer, it’s important that you implement one for your entire network. The IDS should be able to detect anything that looks out of the ordinary and will immediately notify you so that you can take action.
8. Implement an Antivirus Policy
The best way to protect your computer is with antivirus software, which automatically scans all of the files stored on your machine and makes sure that they are virus-free before you load them onto a machine.
When your computer is infected, the antivirus program automatically starts working to detect and remove the malware. The best antivirus programs also have the ability to detect zero-day threats, which are new viruses that haven’t even been discovered yet.
Ransomware is a major threat to your business, so it’s important that you take the above steps and cyber security training immediately to help protect yourself against this cyber threat and all of its potentially devastating consequences. It’s also important that you remember these steps when figuring out how best to protect your computer against ransomware, as well as those in your network.
Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.
With so many things going on in our lives, getting locked out of our car, home or office has now become a routine affair. With the lock mechanisms getting advanced to keep out the bad elements, you would need the Best Locksmith to help you.
You need to understand that choosing the right locksmith can be something very important for you and your personal possessions.
Getting the right one, and you will be able to not only unlock the problem at hand but sleep peacefully knowing you will never be wronged.
Choosing the wrong one means that you can fall victim to an incident of robbery or burglary in the near future. Which is why it's important to make sure a locksmith service is reliable to avoid scams.
In this article, we are going to help individuals and families select the Best Locksmith for their needs in five easy steps.
List of 5 Easy Steps to help choose the Best Locksmith for your needs
Step 1- Referrals, Research, and Planning:
The first thing you need to do is to draw up a list of locksmiths in your area. A good starting point can be asking your friends and family members for referrals. Unlike other areas where referrals from near and dear ones are not useful, in the case of a locksmith they can be.
You can start with a list of the five choices and then cross-check them on the internet. Go to their websites, look at their GMB pages, and see for yourself whether they will be able to help you with the problem at hand.
Step 2: Decide on the Exact Nature of your Problem:
What do you need the locksmith for? Is it to help you get access to your car, or to overturn a faulty internet smart locking solution? Deciding on the nature of your problem can help you further fine-tune your list of shortlisted locksmiths.
Depending on your exact need and requirement, you can interview locksmiths who are most experienced at offering those solutions. Someone who specializes in car locks might not be the best answer to overturning a smart home, whose central locking has been tampered with.
Step 3- Always go for Local Businesses and Locksmiths:
Almost all experts are of the opinion that when it comes to choosing a locksmith, local is the way to go. This is because a local locksmith will be working within a community. He or she will always want to maintain a credible and positive image of the business.
In addition to the above, if you experience any issues in the future, you can always follow up with them if they are locally situated. If you are hiring someone from another city, it means you will never be able to get hold of them in the event something goes wrong.
Step 4- Check for their years of Experience:
A locksmith that has been in the business for ten years or more is safe, credible, and dependable, period! Most security experts are of the opinion that homeowners should always go for locksmiths, which have been practicing in the business for at least a decade.
This is a great indicator of not only their level of skill and expertise but also reflects on how trustworthy and credible they are. While experience is something, which might not count in some industries and businesses, in the case of a locksmith, it does.
Step 5- Official License and Government Credentials:
Whether it is a locksmith, electrician, or plumber, they need to be certified and registered with the local government authorities. You should definitely ask for certifications and credentials before you proceed with hiring a locksmith.
If you do not hire someone who has an official license to practice, he or she will be virtually untraceable in the event something goes wrong. Criminal elements usually give excuses that ‘I have to seek a renewal’ or ‘take an exam’ to answer a request for showing credentials. However, you should not fall prey to these strategies.
The Final Word
It is important that you get a quotation for the exact nature of the costs well before the work commences. Many say that individuals and families can also request their insurance providers to help them with a list of government-certified and recognized locksmiths in the area. If you want to call a locksmith on the central coast, make sure that you follow all the steps mentioned in the article to help you with the selection process.
Read Also:
Should you Replace or Rekey Locks? — What Locksmith Richmond says
Dutch Locksmithing Company Reveals How to Get Best Prices
With the rise of digitization, there has been a rise in cybercrime.
In fact, when a cyberattack happens, it harms a company directly and indirectly. Also, it affects its reputation in its potential customers’ eyes. In fact, you cannot count but estimate the loss that happens. Hence, it is important to ensure e-commerce website security.
In this article, you will learn about the top fourteen ways to ensure e-commerce website security. However, before that, it is also important to understand the importance of ensuring security in e-commerce websites. Hence, to learn more, read on to the end of the article.
Importance Of E-Commerce Website Security
In 2024, most businesses are working in the online framework. Their revenues heavily depend on their websites.
If they do not emphasize their website’s security, their customer base and reputation will become vulnerable.
As an eCommerce website owner, you need to comply with certain payment guidelines. These include PCI/DSS (Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard) to ensure smooth payment transactions.
Moreover, you need to install security protocols to secure your data integrity. They will not only protect your customer data from hackers but also keep the search engines satisfied.
Thus, security is essential for your eCommerce website.
Top 14 Ways To Ensure E-Commerce Website Security
The following are some of the major cybersecurity features you must ensure on your website:
1. Implement 2-factor Authentication
Does not matter how frustrating it may sound. As long as you are keeping your customer’s data secure, every security method is fine.
Employing 2-factor authentication may make your customers a bit agitated. They first enter the login credentials and then enter the OTP received on their number to decrease security breaches and hacks drastically.
So, employ the process and safeguard your customer accounts.
2. Get HTTPs And SSL Certification
To obtain HTTPS authentication businesses need an SSL certificate to be installed on a website. Before installation, you need to buy an SSL certificate. This is because it encrypts the data communication between the server and the client.
Then, it passes the data over a secure network through cryptographic functions (symmetric & asymmetric). This keeps cybercriminals from intercepting the communication.
Out of all the SSL certificates, the EV SSL certificates require a user to undergo a unique validation process to verify his credibility through his name, ID, address, and more.
Thus, get an EV SSL to secure your Ecommerce website and obtain the highest validation level.
3. Comply With PCI-DSS Guidelines For A Secure Payment Gateway System
PCI-DSS or Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard is a body that governs a website’s right to maintain an online payment transaction system.
If you are a website that sees over six million transactions every year, you must be level 1 compliant. However, if your transactions range from 20,000 per year, you are safe as a level 4 client of PCI-DSS.
The compliance helps you to secure your payment gateway system. Also, it allows you to use a third-party app to accept payments and make refunds on your behalf.
4. Use A VPN As A Night Watchman
When you use public networks such as Wi-Fis to access the site, it is better to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to watch your back and restrict other connections to manipulate the ongoing connection between the server and the client.
Without a VPN, hackers can easily manipulate the payment transaction and hack credit and debit card details.
VPN will secure your customers’ payment transactions even on Wi-Fi and keep their sensitive data as safe as houses.
5. Restrict Malicious Bots Using reCAPTCHA
The reCAPTCHA method is extremely effective in keeping hackers at bay. Basically, ReCAPTCHA generates random questions that a bot cannot answer.
There are plenty of malicious bots lurking around the internet in hopes of finding an ideal prey for cybercriminals.
When they get access to your account, malicious bots can steal information, leak it, or even bring your site down.
ReCAPTCHA adds an extensive layer of security that is impenetrable for a code or a bot.
It restricts bad guys’ entrance by protecting login pages, signup pages, contact form pages, form submission pages, payment gateway pages, etc.
6. Start Using A Reliable Content Management System (CMS)
Choosing the right CMS is important for businesses to determine whether an eCommerce website will stay safe.
Mediocre CMSs are a big risk to have. They might help you save a few bucks, but you will always be vulnerable to theft.
But, CMSs like WordPress and Joomla have renounced entities having customer bases in millions.
Moreover, they are regular in updating security patches and always stay a step ahead of the bad guys.
The only thing you need to do is keep them updated.
7. Do Not Use Unsolicited Extensions And Plugins
Plugins and extensions are necessary to enhance your website’s reach. They allow you access to multiple tools and features on the internet.
However, not all plugins are safe to install. These days, due to rising cybercrimes, you must be aware of what you’re installing or adding.
Cybercriminals can engrave malicious codes in the plugins, and when a user installs it, they get access to his site.
Before installing any plugin, make sure that its source is known. Check for its reviews and ratings across the internet.
Also, check its performance reports and badges for further inquiry and self-satisfaction.
8. Perform Audits For Site Security
Site security auditing does not interest a lot of merchants, but it is essential for their survival.
Site security auditing includes checking whether the anti-virus is working appropriately and whether security protocols are repelling attacks or not.
As a merchant, you must initiate site auditing from time to time. It will help you prevent attacks and fix bugs and technical glitches.
If detected early, some security issues can be repelled; otherwise, they may harm the website if they stay for longer periods.
So, keep auditing your website at regular intervals of time.
9. Install A Firewall In Your Web Application
If you own a web application, the firewall can benefit you immensely.
Web Application Firewall or WAF protects the website or web app by analyzing the traffic between the application and the internet.
A firewall protects the user data of the application from XSS (cross-site scripting), SQL injection, cross-site request forgery, etc.
A firewall is the need of the hour to suffice the mounting cyberattacks and help sustain the business.
10. Perform Data-Backup Regularly
In today’s tech world, data is more important than cash in your wallet. Here, you can earn cash again. However, once you lose data, you cannot retrieve them in the same proportion.
For businesses, data is their lifeline. They thrive on data and channel their operations accordingly.
Since it is immensely important, protecting it is quite a task for businesses as cybercriminals are always on the lookout for data.
The best way to protect your data is by creating a copy of it and saving it on the cloud.
Cloud allows you to access your data anywhere at any time, making it extremely reliable.
11. Regular Software Updates
Regular software updates are crucial for e-commerce website security since they come with patches that deal with vulnerabilities. Additionally, since developers always research and improve cybersecurity, new updates let you access the latest features.
In fact, they protect your website from new threats like ransomware. Also, it offers protection against data breach attempts. Moreover, software updates also let your website meet the compliance requirements of the e-commerce industry.
Furthermore, it also helps in improving the overall performance of your e-commerce website.
12. Strong Password Policies
Firstly, if there is a strong password policy, cyber criminals will not gain unauthorized access to the website.
As a result, you can also prevent financial losses that may happen to your business. Moreover, you can also save your business from reputational damage.
Generally, cybercriminals and hackers use weak passwords to penetrate networks. Thereby, they stop your business’s critical processes. Hence, with a strong password policy, you can ensure e-commerce website security.
13. Use A Secure Hosting Environment
A secure hosting environment protects your e-commerce website from various security threats. These include hacking, data breaches, malware, etc.
Apart from that, it also helps to maintain your site’s integrity. Also, it helps you to protect sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers. Additionally, it also offers protection against DDoS attacks
Moreover, site downtime negatively affects your search engine ranking. Here, a secure hosting environment can help you a lot.
14. Focus On User Education And Training
If you invest in user education and training, you can help them respond to cybersecurity threats. Basically, your users will learn to identify and respond to threats such as phishing, social engineering, and malicious attachments.
Thereby, you can reduce the likelihood of cyberattacks that can compromise your e-commerce website security. As a result, you will gain more trust from your users and customers.
Final Thoughts
eCommerce is booming every day. New ways of marketing, selling, and attracting are in place to make life convenient for customers.
On the hind side, hackers also build new ways to capture as much data as possible. Basically, they employ bots and bugs to do the dirty work. Bots can enter your website and steal customer data, whereas bugs can get attached to plugins and gain access once you install them.
Keeping track of what you are installing, where you are visiting, and who you are allowing access to is of paramount importance. However, everything can get simple if you follow these fourteen steps. This way, you can frame a robust website security system.
Do you have more recommendations on how to ensure e-commerce website security? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below.
Read Also:
Everything You Need To Know About PKI In Cybersecurity
Five Tips to Make Sure Your Security Software Is Actually Secure
Why DRM Is the New Standard for Document Security
Top 10 Computer Security Mistakes
Nettitude is the leading penetration testing team in Singapore. While penetration testing is a broad subject, They specialize in providing services to businesses operating within heavily-regulated industries such as financial institutions, government agencies, and insurance companies.
One common challenge that many clients In Singapore face is how to demonstrate due diligence on their security controls from a governance perspective. This often requires being able to provide assurance of the integrity and confidentiality of their assets, to meet compliance requirements.
Penetration testing in Singapore provides value in demonstrating improvements, but only if the results are communicated effectively. As well as providing security controls that protect your network, Nettitude also provides consultancy services on how to communicate these measures to generalist and specialist audiences alike.
The term 'penetration testing' is often misunderstood or incorrectly applied by businesses in Singapore. Penetration testing in Singapore, also known as ethical hacking, red teaming, and white teaming, is just one part of a wider practice called vulnerability management which includes the discovery and mitigation of vulnerabilities. Therefore penetration testing should be seen as a means to provide confidence that controls are working correctly and not the only solution in the wider security puzzle.
Client expectations can often run ahead of reality when it comes to penetration testing, resulting in disappointment regardless of the position achieved by a pentester. Some common misconceptions include:
- Clients expect a pentester to achieve a full, system-wide compromise of the network, bypassing all controls
- Clients expect a penetration test to be carried out exactly as it would be in a real attack by hackers
In reality, penetration testing in Singapore is only part of the solution and not sufficient on its own. Network security needs to provide multiple layers of protection using a combination of detection and prevention controls. Penetration testing only demonstrates the effectiveness of individual security measures; it cannot be used alone to demonstrate that all vulnerabilities have been mitigated or that no further steps are required to meet compliance requirements.
Nettitude's penetration testers are not just highly-skilled professionals, and they are also professional communicators with experience in reporting to non-technical audiences. They go beyond defining the technical risks associated with penetration testing, providing advice on how to provide assurance on your security posture.
Services that Nettitude offer:
- Web Application Penetration Testing (e.g., OWASP Top 10) by using cutting-edge technologies and weaponized techniques to uncover security vulnerabilities that can lead to compromised systems, data loss, and identity theft.
- Security Audits by understanding your network environment, its unique business context, and the potential attack vectors an attacker may use.
- Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessments by using a range of assessment tools and techniques to monitor exposed services and verify vulnerabilities.
- Social Engineering: Identify critical business assets, understand the human element of your business environment, assess behavioral dynamics & identify vulnerabilities.
Nettitude's experienced consultants have helped clients devise effective governance mechanisms to demonstrate the kind of risk-based decisions that organizations need to make about protecting their assets. They have helped banks, insurers, and financial services companies with their penetration testing requirements so you can be sure your business is in safe hands.
Their team of consultants are not just specialist penetration testers; they have trusted security professionals who help clients devise effective governance mechanisms to demonstrate the kind of risk-based decisions that organizations need to make about protecting their assets.
Read Also:
Common IT Security Risks in the Workplace
Learn More About Social Security Disability in Deland
Everything You Need To Know About PKI In Cybersecurity
Top 10 Cybersecurity Features That Are A Must-Have In An Ecommerce Store
