Secure Your Windows Computer to Block Ransomware

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a malware designed to deny a user or organization access to files on their computer. Once your files are encrypted by ransomware, you may have no choice but pay the ransom to retrieve your files. One of the most famous examples of ransomware is the WannaCry ransomware attack. It requested users pay $300 worth of bitcoin payments to restore their files. How frustrating it is!

How to block ransomware (3 useful ways)

If your computer is in an unsafe environment, it may be attacked easily. Thus, the best ransomware protection is to improve computer security, which can block ransomware validity. Here are the top 3 methods for you to secure your Windows computer.

1. Install patches and keep your operating system and software up to date.

This habit can prevent compromises on exploit kits. The EternalBlue exploits vulnerability MS17-010 in Microsoft’s implementation of SMB protocol. However, Microsoft released a critical advisory along with a security patch to fix the vulnerability on 14 March 2017. Organizations can apply the patch to fix the issue.

2. Turn on Windows firewall.

Windows firewall is a security system that provides a technology for separating intranet from public. It can minimize network hackers' access to your network. In the Advanced settings, you can block port 445, 139 and so on to protect against WannaCry Ransomware attacks.

3. Secure your online browsing.

Browsers are the most exposed and information-rich. It is the window to the internet and also the first line of defense against ransomware. To prevent ransomware, you must secure your online browsing. (PS: Different browsers have different ways to set up for security.)

What can we learn from ransomware?

Since WannaCry Ransomware stormed, many users really wanna cry because their files have been encrypted. They have no idea about that, but want to pay the ransom for the decryption key. Actually, if you have backed up your computer, you won’t be threatened by cyber criminals. Because you can restore the encrypted files with the backup image when your computer gets infected by ransomware.

Besides, to secure your Windows computer to block ransomware, the most important thing is to always backup. Backup can be the best ransomware protection, and it is also a guarantee of data recovery in other accidents.

Best free file backup software for Windows PC

To block ransomware, you need to find a safe backup software. AOMEI Backupper Standard is such a safe backup and restore software that can protect your computer from various ransomware, including WannaCry, Wanna Decryptor, Cryptolocker, etc.

• It provides you with five different types of backup: System Backup, Partition Backup, Disk Backup, File Backup, and Cloud Backup.
• It enables you to create automatic backups with the "Schedule Backup" feature.
• When you need, you can use this freeware to restore your computer to the earlier state or recover lost files, etc.

Free download AOMEI Backupper to backup data to external hard drive.

👉 If you haven’t been attacked by ransomware, you can directly follow the steps below to make a backup.

👉 If you are already a victim of ransomware, there are two things you can do:

> Disconnect your computer from the internet so it cannot infect other machines. Then, seek help from a technology professional who specializes in data recovery to see what your options might be. If there are none, don’t lose hope. There may be new security tools to unlock your files in the future.

> In order to prevent the encrypted files from being deleted by cyber criminals in several days, you can click Tools > Create Bootable Media to create a bootable media, and then boot from the bootable disc to perform an offline backup.

How to backup files to external hard drive with AOMEI Backupper

Step 1. Click File Backup under the Backup tab.

Step 2. Select the files/folders you want to backup as the source party, and select the external hard drive as the target party.

Step 3. You can click the Schedule Backup option to set up an automatic backup for daily, weekly, monthly instead of creating a backup manually every time. Then, click Start Backup.

Step 4. After the progress reaches 100%, click Finish to exit.

Backup should be an effective way to protect against ransomware. Once your computer gets attacked by ransomware, you can remove the malicious software and delete the encrypted files. Then, use AOMEI Backupper to restore files from the backup image. It can minimize the damage caused by ransomware. After securing computers to block ransomware, you will get through the WannaCry Ransomware storm easily.