Technology has evolved leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. In fact, in the next few years, the first generation to grow up with smartphones and social media, will join the workforce. It might seem like Generation Z will be the most cyber-secure generation, considering they’ve always had the Internet and other advanced technologies at the tips of their fingers, but reports are starting to show that this is not the case.

Without technology, businesses cannot compete and succeed. But with the advancement in technology comes the ever-constant threat of hackers and cybercriminals. That’s why small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) need to protect themselves with robust cybersecurity solutions managed by reputable managed IT services providers (MSPs) like SanTrac Technologies.

In recent years, ransomware has become more and more of a threat to businesses of all sizes, from small companies to huge corporations. It’s not only because cybercriminals see the benefit of a payday on top of whatever they can sell stolen files for.

Scammers know that people are easy prey to emails or websites that look real; oft times not looking at the URL or reading the content thoroughly or critically. All they must do is make the email and develop bogus websites of the news portal and other informative stuff to lure gullible readers.

What is Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that blocks access to a system, device, or file until a ransom is paid. It is an illegal, moneymaking scheme that can be installed through deceptive links in an email message, instant message, or website.

You may not know it, but some of the websites you visit or apps you download leave a trackable digital footprint. One step you can do to avoid leaving your online behavior exposed to third parties is to use private browsers to surf the internet.

What is private browsing?

Your web browser — whether it’s Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Opera — stores the URLs of the sites you visit, cookies that track your activity, passwords you’ve used, and temporary files you’ve downloaded.

All across the world, hackers are targeting and exploiting security weaknesses and holding data hostage. In May, the Colonial Pipeline was hit by a cyber-attack that disrupted fuel supplies along the East Coast for several days. The company – and the FBI – paid hackers $4.4 million in Bitcoin to regain control of the system.

Botnets are a fast and effective way for cybercriminals to introduce malware to a system. Short for bot network, botnets work by loading one computer with the virus. Then it is automatically scanned for weak points. With A.I. technology, the malware proliferates on its own.

Protecting your business data goes beyond securing your office computers and networks. Especially now that implementing remote and hybrid work environments is critical to business survival, you need to put up digital barriers around your company’s mobile devices to block malware and other threats.

The average person goes through anywhere between one and a dozen assorted emails per day, but have you ever experienced receiving a few thousand emails in a span of a few hours? If so, you may be experiencing a distributed spam distraction (DSD) attack.