Now more than ever, it’s important we’re all doing everything we can to stay safe from cybercrime. According to the National Cyber Security Centre, “Ransomware is a growing global cyber security threat, and one which could affect any organisation that does not have appropriate defenses. The first half of 2016 saw an almost threefold increase in ransomware variants compared to the whole of 2015.”

Here’s the basics you need to be doing to make sure you and your business stay safe.

•  Make sure all your equipment is updated and using the latest patches

•  Set strong passwords and change them regularly

•  Never use default passwords for anything

•  Old systems, these are your weak link – can these be decommissioned?

•  Always check the sender email address closely

•  Do not open anything that looks slightest bit strange

If you are worried, get in touch with our IT Solutions team who can help you with the following:

• Train your staff to be more vigilant

•  Perform drills where we hack your applications and networks to make sure they’re secure

•  Move to more up to date technology that does some of the hard work for you

•  Install intelligent devices that will monitor your network for unwanted activity

•  If you don’t have a Datto device or something similar, which works by saving your data offsite and protecting your business throughout the day, then you should consider investing in this type of technology. If the worst happens, this could save you.