Stay Safe: Look Out for Ransomware and Phishing

By Ranga Yarlagadda
Deputy General Manager- Global IT at Prolifics

There are a lot of different cyber-attacks that people are unaware of. Here are two of the most common: 

Ransomware and phishing are methods hackers use to extort money online. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that prevents you from accessing your computer until you pay a ransom.

Phishing is when the sender of an email will ask you to perform specific actions to gain access to your computer.  

Emails are the most common method of attack. These emails will often contain malicious links or seemingly harmless attachments. To avoid becoming a victim, please make sure to do the following: 

• Verify the sender’s email address is legitimate and familiar before responding. 
• Avoid responding to emails from senders with suspicious domain or display names. 
• Do not click on links or attachments from senders that you do not recognize (be especially wary of .zip, .7z, or other compressed or executable file types). 
• Do not share sensitive or personal information through email (e.g. usernames and passwords). 
• Inspect URLs carefully to make sure they’re legitimate and not imposter sites. 
• Do not open any shared documents that you’re not expecting. 
• If this happens in a company setting, follow your company’s reporting procedures or contact your IT department.  

We hope this information is helpful, and wish you continued safety online!