Ransomware Removal & Prevention | Waterloo

You don’t have to negotiate with cybercriminals

Proudly serving Waterloo for over 10 years

CarefreeIT is your trusted local provider of ransomware removal solutions and ransomware prevention services for companies in the Waterloo area. If you’ve been infected with ransomware, like the newer strain Ryuk, we’ll get rid of it fast, and ensure you’re protected from future attacks. Contact us today!

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Removing and Preventing Ransomware Like Ryuk

Ryuk is currently the most active ransomware strain, but it’s certainly not the only one. It’s one example of a family of threats for smaller businesses, and avoiding it is a challenge for many.

Ransomware is nasty, getting worse and not going away soon. In fact, these are key takeaways from a recent cyber insurance claims report:

Ransomware is becoming very complex. The number of incidents increased by 47% from Q1 to Q2, 2020.

Ransom demands rose 100% from 2019 to Q1 2020 and almost another 50% in Q2. Claims now range from $1,000 to $2,000,000 per incident.

Healthcare and finance are prime targets, but no one is safe. Small organizations are also at risk.

An attack can happen at any time. So, now is a good time for you to enlist the help of CarefreeIT‘s IT experts to complete a security check and a ransomware prevention program.

Ransomware targets small businesses because they're easy marks

Know how a ransomware attack happens to be best prepared

Ransomware attacks are not just random events. They target specific companies. When a business falls victim to a ransomware attack like Ryuk, a criminal has already done research on the organization and found weaknesses. They then abuse those weaknesses and force the company to send them money. And they won’t go away quietly!

Once cybercriminals pick their target, they usually launch an “advanced persistent threat.” They will send multiple attacks using advanced tools, often over days or weeks. They will search different parts of your business and test any weaknesses they find.

If they see an opening, they will use a blend of ransomware to enter your network and plant “bots” wherever they can. Then they probe undetected while they look for the best data to steal.

An important takeaway: You and your IT department may be unaware you are a target until an attack is underway

You may only know for sure when you get an email demanding a ransom. The intruder will send proof they’ve entered your network, downloaded a copy of your data and encrypted your original data (if it still exists).

How do you remove ransomware from your system?

By the time you discover you have ransomware, you have only a few choices:

1. Fix the problem. Isolate the infected systems from your network. Don’t shut them down. Have an IT security expert find the issues, correct them and remove all the ransomware parts. Restart your systems and restore your data from a clean backup copy.

2. Pay the ransom. Even if you pay though, the crooks still may not unlock your data. They could just sell it on the dark web.

Don't bother negotiating with cyberterrorists - especially when your insurance premium hike will be nonnegotiable

Ransomware prevention is key

A good prevention program has many parts. These practices are not only good for security hygiene, but they also enhance your IT network’s performance, reliability and resilience.

Benefit from having one of our security experts help develop the right ransomware prevention program for your company.

Here are the main parts of a prevention program:

1. Find and assess risks: Evaluate each system component. Create a baseline for each device, system and software on your network.

2. Retire outdated devices: Upgrade any end-of-life systems or obsolete software that cannot cope with today’s environment.

3. Patch and upgrade: Ensure all devices have the latest operating software, current security versions and virus definitions.

4. Enhance training and awareness: Many ransomware and security breaches start with an employee’s mistake. They may click a link in an email or give access to the wrong person. Employee training must be an ongoing program, not just once or twice a year.

5. Perform backups: Ensure your systems and data protections back up your data often. Backups are critical for restoring your data if a breach does occur.

6. Enact business continuity and disaster recovery plans: Investing in a good continuity plan will help you prepare for unexpected events. It’s crucial to lessen a breach’s impact and reduce recovery time.

7. Plan for incident response: Despite all your efforts, you only have to get it wrong one time. Have a tested method to detect, respond and recover from a problem quickly.

8. Test and practice: These include penetration tests and social engineering exercises. You need to maintain a steady program to verify that your protections are working and to keep your team alert for potential new threats.

Need help with ransomware prevention? CarefreeIT can help!

Our security experts can help with emergency recovery and craft a multilayered defence against future problems.

Turn to Carefree IT for IT security services in the Waterloo area. Contact us today for unmatched excellence in IT support and assurance that your systems are efficient and secure!

Why Choose CarefreeIT?

CarefreeIT was the first IT managed services provider (MSP) company in Ontario to develop and market a comprehensive cybersecurity bundle specifically targeted to the small-to-medium-sized business (SMB) market. We realized early on that SMBs were being targeted by hackers, were vulnerable, and were getting compromised. Unfortunately, cyber protection services were designed for enterprise-class companies and was unaffordable for SMBs. Our unique Total Protection Plan (TPP) solved the problem by delivering leading edge security protection to SMBs at an affordable cost.

The TPP provides 24x7x365 cybersecurity expert “live eyes” on your network. It also provides education for your team, a set of policies for you to implement, and dark web scanning on your behalf. It’s designed and delivered by certified cybersecurity experts. If the security of your systems and data are essential to your business, the TPP gives you the peace of mind to sleep well at night knowing your IT, your valuable data, and your reputation are protected.

No other MSP has the cybersecurity expertise, experience and services to protect your business both reliably and cost-effectively. We’re successfully protecting many business in the insurance, finance, accounting, legal, retail and non-profit industries.