Proactive IT Strategy at Thriveon

Prevent Ransomware with Passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication

Written by Ashley Chambliss | 8/3/21 9:13 PM

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents you from accessing your computer files, systems or networks and demands you pay a ransom for their return. Ransomware attacks can cause costly disruptions to operations and the loss of critical information and data.

Avoiding attacks and preventing ransomware is a top concern for managed IT services, including here at Thriveon. You can help prevent ransomware by ensuring you and your employees use complex passwords and multi-factor authentication for all logins on company-provided devices. These simple prevention measures could mean the difference between staving off or succumbing to a ransomware attack. 

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Prevent Ransomware with Complex Passwords 

Make certain that your employees do what you can to avoid a ransomware attack in the first place. Using complex and different passwords for all logins is one small way to make it harder for a cyber criminal to attempt an attack. Password managers are especially helpful in helping you store your passwords securely and even provide the option of creating random passwords for you, so they are complex, smart and safe – but you do not have to write them down elsewhere or memorize them.  

Complex Password Considerations 

  • Current recommendations are 19 characters 
  • Consider using a passphrase 
  • Use different passwords for each account 
  • Change passwords frequently  

Prevent Ransomware with Multi-Factor Authentication 

Another way you can set up your logins and devices to be more protected is through implementing multi-factor authentication. This means that for every new login attempt, it pushes a code or prompt to another device you have access to, so you can verify that it is really you who is logging in. By enforcing multi-factor authentication, bad actors need more than your password to access your information. 

Creating complex passwords and using multi-factor authentication for your logins are two ways that you can work to avoid ransomware. Let us help to secure your accounts and ensure you are set up to help prevent ransomware.

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*Source:FBI.gov