Mechele Agbayani Mills

The Better Business Bureau is warning small business owners of recent ransomware attacks on East Texas agencies. Hackers encrypted files and denied access to computers, demanding money for recovery and rendering them inoperable. The BBB advises both businesses and consumers to be vigilant in their cybersecurity practices to avoid being hacked.

Ransomware is a type of malware that targets computer systems, essentially holding files and critical information hostage until the victim receives payment. Unfortunately, the attacker does not always hold up their end of the bargain, so prevention is the best way to avoid attack.

In 2019, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported receiving 2,047 ransomware complaints with losses over $8.9 million.

The BBB offers the following tips to mitigate the risk of a cyber-attack:

Change passwords. Make all your passwords long, strong and complex with at least 12 characters, uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid common words, phrases or information in your passwords. Don’t reuse passwords for other accounts. Use multi-factor authentication when available.

Update technology. Make sure you are using the most updated versions of antivirus technology and your router is updated to the most recent version.

Keep critical information separate. If you maintain very sensitive/private information, keep it on a separate computer that is not connected to any network. Limit the number of employees who have access to this information.

Be skeptical. Don’t click on links in emails or download attachments you don’t recognize. Watch out for typos, stilted language, grammatical mistakes, etc. Even if an email looks legitimate, contact the company or organization through another method to verify the source. Many companies have a page on their website to identify known scams being perpetrated in their name.

Hire a professional. Consider hiring a trustworthy IT consultant to perform regular scans and to ensure your software is up to date. Go to bbb.org to find a consultant you can trust.

Should you ever fall victim to a ransomware attack, never pay. Paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee the hacker will return data access. Instead, invest in cyber defenses like stronger anti-malware and back up critical files. You also may contact your attorney general’s office, the Department of Justice or the IC3.

For more tips on how to be a savvy consumer, go to bbb.org. To report fraudulent activity or unscrupulous business practices, call the BBB at 903-581-5704 or report it via BBB ScamTracker.