Five Ways to Protect Your Computer Against Ransomware

Ransomware can result in a loss of all your data if you are not careful. Many people download unsuspecting files to their computers, which end up infecting their computers. If you end up downloading malicious programs that take control of your files and encrypt them, it could be very difficult for you to get rid of the program. In fact, once all files have been encrypted, you will notice a notepad file in the main folder. Open that up, and you will get the instructions that you must follow to decrypt the files. The problem is that paying the ransom doesn’t always guarantee a decryption key. So, here are five ways to protect your computer against such programs.

Don’t Download From Unverified Websites

A common mistake that many people make when downloading free programs or files is that they end up downloading from sites that don’t have any official signature and are unverified. If you are downloading content from a site that isn’t renowned for its protection, there’s a risk that your computer will get infected along with it. You have to make sure that you only download programs from reliable websites.

Be Open-Minded

There are some things that are too good to be true. You need to be careful about that. For instance, if you notice claims about free music or free programs that are honestly impossible, you should avoid them altogether. Many people end up downloading ransomware on their computers as it is disguised as something else. Hackers often lure people into downloading these malicious programs in their computers by simply luring them in. That’s why you have to be open-minded, and avoid downloading things that seem too good to be true.

Check Emails with Caution

If you receive an email from someone that you don’t know, be very cautious. Check the attachments carefully and run them through an antivirus program before you think about downloading them on your computer. Most email providers now have spam and virus filters, and it’s generally recommended that you use those before downloading any file. However, even if the antivirus clears the file, you still have to be cautious, because many times, the malicious programs end up fooling the antivirus.

Create a Virtual Machine

Do you have to download a file to your computer, but are doubtful about it? You should consider creating a virtual machine on your computer so that you can first check the file. This way, you will have an isolated setup from where you can check the program and test it to ensure that it doesn’t contain any kind of virus.

Backup

Arguably the best thing you need to do to protect yourself is to back up your data. This is a defensive measure so that even in case your computer gets infected with a ransomware attack, you will be able to recover your data quickly. These are just some protective measures that you can take to save your data.