News
The Washington NetworkEducates Customers on Ransomware
Leader in Unified Communications Helps Businesses Fight Malware
Alexandria, VA — May 20, 2016 — The Washington Network, Inc., a
leader in unified communications, announced today that they have launched a
ransomware awareness campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to quickly
educate business owners in understanding one of the latest threats now facing
small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Ransomware is a specific variation of
malware, that is growing in popularity amongst hackers and The Washington Network is doing its best to
alert business owners of this new tactic. The
Washington Network’s existing customers are very well protected against
this type of threat but many business owners may be unaware of the potential
destruction this has on an organization.
While business owners have always
understood the need to protect their businesses from malware, short for
“malicious software”, ransomware is a new tactic that hackers are using to
attack businesses in an especially wicked way. Essentially, an employee will
receive an email with a deceptive link, labeled “See Resume Here” or “Download
Report Now”, and then upon clicking the link, a ransomware application will be
installed immediately on the computer. Then, the software can remain hidden for
several days, until it is activated. At that moment, the ransomware application
will hijack critical files, remove them from the network, encrypt them so no
other computers can access them and then hackers will send an email demanding
payment for the release of the missing files. The biggest problem with this
type of cyber attack is that it leaves absolutely no leverage to the business owner.
Even if they pay the “ransom”, hackers don’t necessarily unlock the files every
time. “This is a huge problem that could have drastic impact on an organization
and the craziest thing we notice is that there is such a simple solution,”
stated RickEndres, President at The Washington Network.
“These types of attacks happen far too often,
and we take great pride in protecting our customers from threats like this,”
added Endres. “The first line of defense
for these kinds of attacks is a technically educated staff. While the majority
of these threats come in the form of suspicious email links, an educated staff
can avoid these catastrophes simply through awareness. That’s one of the
reasons why we issued this press release,” commented Endres. “For business owners that see the value of peace of mind,
we devise comprehensive solutions that thwart these types of attacks from every
angle. We take a global approach that includes a combination of anti-virus
software, anti-malware software, strong firewalls, employee education, data
backup, and network redundancy. What we’ve noticed over the years is that every
network has different exposure points and our job is to come in as a technology
advisor and to proactively prevent not only ransomware attacks, but the myriad
of others attacks that a business owner may face for years to come.”
The
Washington Network’s mission is to leave business owners in a more
empowered position by serving as an educator of emergent technologies. “Our
biggest aim with this campaign is to usher in a sense of urgency amongst
business owners so they take action now, instead of waiting to be in a
difficult, immutable situation later,” closed Endres.
About The Washington Network, Inc.
Founded in 1987, The Washington Network, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia, provides computer networks, VoIP phone systems, IT support and other technology solutions for associations and businesses in the Washington, DC Metro area.
Serving clients without a large in-house
IT staff, The Washington Network lowers operating costs while increasing worker
productivity. The company’s flat-rate managed services include remote network
monitoring, preventive maintenance, help desk, redundant back-ups and on-site
support.
A member of the Northern Virginia
Technology Council and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, The Washington Network
has been honored as the Chamber’s Professional Service Business of the Year.
Through its strategic membership in the
Technology Assurance Group, The Washington Network serves and supports clients
with multiple locations across the U.S. and Canada.
The Washington Network is located at 3601
Eisenhower Avenue Suite 110, Alexandria, Virginia 22304. For more information on
The Washington Network, call 703.212.7100 or visit www.WashingtonNetwork.com.