Hearing about ransomware is unavoidable these days. Whether you’re watching TV, listening to the radio, browsing the Internet, or talking to a friend, you may learn about a new ransomware attack or two. The malware has been taking all types of organizations offline, and things may get worse.
One report says that the global attack volume of ransomware is spiking by 151% in the first six months of 2021. To fight ransomware, American President Joe Biden has called on 30 countries to form a global coalition. But what can you do at home or the office?
For starters, you may want to activate your Windows 10 baked-in ransomware protection. Not many people know this, but Windows 10 indeed has built-in ransomware defense technology. To activate it, just search for ransomware protection in Windows. You’ll notice that the feature claims to: “Protect files, folders, and memory areas on your device from unauthorized changes by unfriendly applications.”
It also offers “Ransomware data recovery,” so you can possibly recover files after a ransomware attack. The caveat is that you must set up Microsoft’s OneDrive for file recovery options.
But Why Isn’t Windows Ransomware Protection on by Default?
Now that you know Windows has built-in ransomware protection, you must be wondering why it isn’t on by default. Unfortunately, it’s not on because it’s a bit buggy. Here are some issues with Windows 10 ransomware protection:
- False positives: The feature throws up false positives to an annoying degree. It will flag programs you trust as ransomware.
- Crashes: Not only does it throw up false positives, but like an overzealous puppy, it crashes programs. This bug is especially irritating when it prevents you from saving your work.
- Inconvenient: The buggy nature of Windows 10 ransomware protection rears its head at inopportune times. Your viewing of a season finale on Netflix may be suddenly interrupted by aerroneous ransomware alert.
- Unpredictable: There seems to be no rhyme or reason behind the false positives, so you can’t predict what program to avoid.
- Complex: There is a way to add your trusted programs to a safelist that shields them from the wrath of Windows 10 ransomware protection. However, the process is complex, lengthy, and a bit annoying.
If Not Windows 10 Ransomware Protection, Then What?
Windows 10’s baked-in ransomware defense feature isn’t bad if you’re really worried about ransomware and have no options. But it’s probably best to download top anti ransomware software that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to proactively stop malware threats without crashing your computer or throwing up false positives.
Having top anti ransomware technology is just one part of the equation though. You should also regularly make copies of your essential data that you can restore after a ransomware attack. Please also consider storing your copies on systems that don’t connect to any network in order to reduce the chances of ransomware corrupting your backups.
Also, nullify common ransomware attack vectors. Be wary of open RDP ports, phishing emails, malvertising, and drive-by downloads. Finally, show some caution when opening emails, visiting websites or clicking links to keep ransomware at bay.
