Ransomware is one of the most important threats on the network. As we know it is a type of malware that aims to encrypt our files. In exchange for being able to access them, he asks for a financial ransom. This is how cybercriminals profit. It is, in short, a threat that can seriously compromise our systems and cause us to lose files. In this article we are going to talk about what mistakes users make and what can make us fall victim to this problem.
Mistakes we make and favor ransomware
Not only when it comes to talking about ransomware, but also about any other threat, we are the users themselves who sometimes make mistakes that make the task easier for cybercriminals. It is vital that we consider basic and common sense measures. That is why we want to mention what are the most common mistakes we make and that can expose us.
Access suspicious links
A very common way of infecting ourselves with some threats such as ransomware is through dangerous links . For example, a link may arrive that directs us to a page configured for us to download a file that is actually ransomware. This type of malicious links can be received through e-mail, social networks or even instant messaging platforms.
Therefore, we must be very careful with the links we access. We must always ensure that we are on legitimate sites and avoid logging in or downloading files from links that we cannot trust.
Download software from unofficial sources
It is also very common for us to be victims of ransomware when downloading software from unofficial sources. This is a very frequent problem, since we have at our disposal many pages and platforms from which we can download programs and tools. Now, not all of them are going to be safe.
It is through downloads one of the most important sources of threats and we must take care of it. Our advice is to always download software from legitimate sites, official and warranty stores.
Do not keep the equipment updated
There are many vulnerabilities that we can find when browsing the Internet. Security breaches may occur that compromise our equipment. Hackers often take advantage of these errors, these vulnerabilities, to distribute their threats.
Ransomware is one of these threats that can take advantage of possible vulnerabilities on a computer. Therefore, it is essential that we always have the latest versions and all patches installed. Only in this way can we be protected against these types of problems that may arise.
Believe that antivirus is enough
It is certainly a very common mistake. We are not just talking about ransomware, but with any threat. Many users believe that by having an antivirus on their system they are already protected against all threats. The reality is no.
Of course having an antivirus is essential. No matter what operating system or device we are using, we need to have a good antivirus. But keep in mind that there are also other security tools that can help us and, most importantly, common sense. It is useless to have the best antivirus if later we are going to make certain mistakes as we are seeing.
Using USB sticks on public computers
Another mistake that can put our computers at risk and be the entry for ransomware is using USB sticks on public computers. The same would also happen if we leave a USB memory to someone else. It is possible that these systems are infected and can in turn infect that USB flash drive that we will later use on our computer.
Our advice is to take precautions whenever we are going to use a public computer, such as when printing documents in a copy shop.
Download pirted games or movies
This is another of the most common problems. It is a little in tune with what we mentioned earlier about the software from unofficial sources. However now we focus on downloading pirted games or movies.
Many platforms may offer the ability to download a pirted game, for example. However, when you install it, when you open the files, the content may be malicious. It is possible that, in short, what we are opening is a ransomware.