Sora-Shimazaki / PexelsKeeping backups helps avoid damage from malicious computer programsSora-Shimazaki / Pexels
What should you do if your computer is subject to a ransomware attack, in which data and accounts are held hostage in return for a payment? “You must act quickly to contain the spread, remove the attacker’s presence, eradicate the root cause of the intrusion, restore the environment, and resume normal operations,” recommends the newly released guide Ransomware: How to Protect Yourself, issued by Brazil’s Center for Security Incident Studies and Response (CERT.br). Aimed primarily at small and medium-sized businesses, the guide outlines essential preventive measures, such as protecting backups, identifying vulnerabilities, and separating user networks to prevent data loss. “Failure to remove malware [programs designed to cause harm, such as viruses], eliminate access points used by the attacker, or fix vulnerabilities exploited by the attacker can lead to further attacks and damage,” the document warns (see Pesquisa FAPESP issues 327 and 352). The free guide is available at https://cert.br/docs/ransomware/ (CERT.br, July 28).
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