3 Important Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn from the WannaCry Attack

You’ve probably heard of the WannaCry ransomware attack, even if you weren’t directly affected by it. Rising to prominence at the start of May, the WannaCry attack is reported to have infiltrated more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries. Companies found that their files were encrypted, and the software demanded at least $300 worth of Bitcoin to release it.

If you’re running a business, you’ll already understand how damaging it can be to lose your data. You’ll forfeit the good graces of your customers and clients, face significant downtime, and possibly be responsible for some hefty fines. As such, it’s natural to ask yourself what lessons have been learned from the WannaCry ransomware attack, and it’s smart to act on that knowledge and upgrade your security.

1. Update Older Systems

WannaCry ransomware mainly attacked devices still running with older versions of Microsoft Windows, predominantly Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. If you’ve been told before how risky it is to use older operating systems and applications, here’s the evidence. Those systems were left vulnerable because they were no longer getting updated, leaving a number of weaknesses for malicious users to exploit. If you’re running an outdated operating system or using any outdated systems, it’s time to make a change.

2. Backup Frequently

Ransomware attacks essentially hold your data hostage until you pay up, so one of the best ways to work against them is by regularly backing up your data. If you already have copies of everything backed up from just a few days ago, data loss is likely to be minimal. Of course, you could still be liable for the data breach, but you wouldn’t actually lose very much.

3. Seek Out Professional IT Support

Ransomware is still a relatively new concept to many web users, and one of the reasons why WannaCry was able to spread so easily was the fact that plenty of people just didn’t know what to do when they were affected. Companies without 24/7 IT support found themselves in a much worse position than those that did; they basically found themselves stuck in a crisis without any insurance.