Did you know that Peoria is the oldest community in Illinois? It’s true, but don’t let that fool you into thinking Peoria is old-fashioned. Peoria’s many small and growing businesses are often at the cutting edge of technology and innovation. With a massive convention center, making Peoria a population destination for business travelers, and many lovely areas to visit, this city along the Illinois River is a great place to run a business.
Why the Need for Ransomware Prevention & Remediation in Peoria, Illinois?
Ransomware, unfortunately, does not have any geographical boundaries. Peoria, Illinois businesses and organizations of all sizes are very vulnerable to cyberattacks and intrusions into IT networks. Peoria schools, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and pretty much any organization that uses a computer that’s attached to the Internet has a potential to be hijacked by ransomware.
Ransomware is a particularly insidious form of a cyberattack. While a virus might cause problems with your computer, typically you can still use it. Ransomware, on the other hand, completely disables and shuts down your computer. You cannot log in, access your data, or do anything. Your Peoria business has now been taken hostage.
Unfortunately, ransomware cyberattackers have become more and more vicious and greedy. They are willing to not only lock down your data, but take your information and blast it all over the dark web. They will blackmail your Peoria business or organization to pay up or suffer terrible consequences.
What Can Be Done About Ransomware in Peoria?
Any IT environment that is unprotected will be vulnerable to ransomware hacking. Vigilance is key. CDS Office Technologies is a Managed IT Solutions provider with extensive experience in cyber security and network management. Our approach to preventing and mitigating ransomware attacks in Peoria is as follows:
Data Backup in Peoria, Illinois
Backups of your data need to be done regularly, and these backups need to be stored away from your central network in Peoria. Secure cloud data storage is a great way to maintain up-to-date backups that can be quickly restored if the worst happens, and a cyberattack or ransomware shuts down your internal network.
Cyber Security Monitoring and Virus Protection in Peoria, Illinois
At a basic level antivirus software should be installed and maintained on systems connected to your network in Peoria. Real time network monitoring is also extremely beneficial in preventing major cyberattacks. The right software will be able to determine if any sort of brute force methods are being used to get into an organization’s network in Peoria.
Security Updates in Peoria, Illinois
All of your computer software needs to be kept up to date in Peoria. This includes your browsers such as Chrome or edge, as well as any email clients, apps, or other program software programs that are being used on your network. This also includes potentially firmware for printers and other peripherals. Any out-of-date software is a major security risk. Old, vulnerable software is a major entry point for hackers to get into a network and lock it down with ransomware. There are device protection methods that can help keep software up to date and also protect from intrusions.
Cybersecurity Strategy and Remediation Planning in Peoria, Illinois
Finally short-term activities also need to be balanced out with long term planning and strategy. To fully protect your Peoria business, a comprehensive plan needs to be set into place to deal with current and future cyber threats. Plans should be customized for each Peoria business or organization.
For some Peoria businesses and organizations, upgrades to hardware will need to be scheduled in order to fully get the organization up-to-date. For others, data security and backup will be a strong priority.
For example, a Peoria healthcare organization will definitely need to figure out a way to secure patient records and data, because this personal information is something a ransomware attacker could hijack and threaten to release out on the open Internet. Having this information secure is also critical to maintain HIPAA compliance.
Need Ransomware Prevention & Remediation in Peoria, Illinois?
Why let your Peoria business or organization be more vulnerable than it needs to be? Partner with CDS Office Technologies to enhance your cybersecurity with a seasoned, proven team that knows how to prevent and remediate ransomware. Don’t let your Peoria business be held hostage by hackers. We can reduce the chance of ransomware and plan for the worst with remediation strategies that work. Furthermore, our Managed IT Solutions can keep your networks running smoothly and securely.
CDS Office Technologies is a leading provider of Managed IT Solutions based in Illinois. We serve small businesses, large businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies in Peoria, Illinois. For more information on our expert ransomware prevention and remediation services, please contact us today for a consultation.