1 00:00:00,05 --> 00:00:03,00 - [Instructor] A successful malware or ransomware attack 2 00:00:03,00 --> 00:00:04,02 can be catastrophic 3 00:00:04,02 --> 00:00:07,01 for both individuals and organizations. 4 00:00:07,01 --> 00:00:09,03 There are some simple steps you can take though 5 00:00:09,03 --> 00:00:12,05 to protect against both malware and ransomware. 6 00:00:12,05 --> 00:00:14,03 Let's look at five of them. 7 00:00:14,03 --> 00:00:16,06 First is frequent backups. 8 00:00:16,06 --> 00:00:18,03 If your system has been compromised 9 00:00:18,03 --> 00:00:20,04 by malware or ransomware, 10 00:00:20,04 --> 00:00:21,07 you may have lost access 11 00:00:21,07 --> 00:00:24,06 to some or all of the data on that system. 12 00:00:24,06 --> 00:00:27,05 If you've been keeping frequent data backups however, 13 00:00:27,05 --> 00:00:30,03 the impact goes from possibly devastating 14 00:00:30,03 --> 00:00:32,06 to merely inconvenient. 15 00:00:32,06 --> 00:00:37,01 Simply restore the backed up data onto an uninfected system. 16 00:00:37,01 --> 00:00:39,03 Backing up your data is especially important 17 00:00:39,03 --> 00:00:41,04 to recover from ransomware attacks 18 00:00:41,04 --> 00:00:43,09 that specifically target your data. 19 00:00:43,09 --> 00:00:46,05 Also make sure you test your backups. 20 00:00:46,05 --> 00:00:48,08 You don't want to attempt restoring your backups 21 00:00:48,08 --> 00:00:51,06 in an emergency only to find they're corrupted 22 00:00:51,06 --> 00:00:53,04 or not complete. 23 00:00:53,04 --> 00:00:56,08 Second, apply security updates and patches. 24 00:00:56,08 --> 00:00:59,04 Malware and ransomware can only work on systems 25 00:00:59,04 --> 00:01:01,06 that are vulnerable to their attacks. 26 00:01:01,06 --> 00:01:03,07 You can significantly reduce your exposure 27 00:01:03,07 --> 00:01:05,06 to malware and ransomware attacks 28 00:01:05,06 --> 00:01:07,06 by making sure your systems have 29 00:01:07,06 --> 00:01:10,08 all their security updates and patches. 30 00:01:10,08 --> 00:01:14,06 Next, upgrade to the latest operating system versions. 31 00:01:14,06 --> 00:01:16,09 If you've been putting off the expense or hassle 32 00:01:16,09 --> 00:01:18,07 of upgrading your operating systems 33 00:01:18,07 --> 00:01:20,08 to their most current versions, 34 00:01:20,08 --> 00:01:22,02 you could be exposing yourself 35 00:01:22,02 --> 00:01:25,03 to vulnerabilities that don't have patches. 36 00:01:25,03 --> 00:01:27,09 Plus, current operating systems are often designed 37 00:01:27,09 --> 00:01:31,00 to be more secure than previous versions. 38 00:01:31,00 --> 00:01:33,05 Fourth, install firewalls. 39 00:01:33,05 --> 00:01:36,07 Firewalls are designed to prevent unauthorized traffic 40 00:01:36,07 --> 00:01:39,00 from getting directly to your systems. 41 00:01:39,00 --> 00:01:41,09 Many forms of malware attempt to exploit systems 42 00:01:41,09 --> 00:01:43,01 that are directly connected 43 00:01:43,01 --> 00:01:45,02 to the internet without a firewall. 44 00:01:45,02 --> 00:01:48,02 There are also types of malware that once installed, 45 00:01:48,02 --> 00:01:51,04 attempt to communicate with a command and control system 46 00:01:51,04 --> 00:01:53,06 outside of the infected network. 47 00:01:53,06 --> 00:01:55,02 Hardware and software firewalls 48 00:01:55,02 --> 00:01:58,00 can block these malicious traffic flows. 49 00:01:58,00 --> 00:02:01,07 Finally, install anti malware software. 50 00:02:01,07 --> 00:02:03,05 No matter how much you try to protect 51 00:02:03,05 --> 00:02:05,03 your network and systems, 52 00:02:05,03 --> 00:02:07,07 malware can still be introduced by accident 53 00:02:07,07 --> 00:02:11,04 if a user becomes a victim of social engineering. 54 00:02:11,04 --> 00:02:14,04 That's why it's important to install antimalware software 55 00:02:14,04 --> 00:02:15,08 on all systems, 56 00:02:15,08 --> 00:02:18,01 and make sure the malware signatures are updated 57 00:02:18,01 --> 00:02:19,06 at least daily. 58 00:02:19,06 --> 00:02:21,05 By following these security controls, 59 00:02:21,05 --> 00:02:24,03 you will be significantly reducing your exposure 60 00:02:24,03 --> 00:02:27,00 to malware and ransomware.