Consumer champions Which? have published a useful post on fighting Ransomware.
Which? says:
This type of malware is designed to lock you out of your files by encrypting them, before demanding a ransom to restore access. It can target the files you care about the most – think family photos, important documents, work files and more. Plus there’s no guarantee paying the ransom will restore access to your files.
To help protect against ransomware, Windows 11 and Windows 10 include a feature called Controlled folder access. It isn’t always enabled by default, so it’s worth checking your settings. Once switched on, it helps prevent untrusted apps from making changes to your important files.
Help is at hand.
Controlled folder access is part of the Windows Security app.
As it isn’t enabled on every PC by default, it’s worth taking a couple of minutes to check whether it’s switched on.
- Open Settings, then choose Privacy & security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
- Scroll down to Ransomware protection and
- Turn Controlled folder access on and, if prompted, approve the change using User Account Control.
Once enabled, Controlled folder access helps protect files stored in folders such as Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music and Desktop by blocking untrusted apps from making changes to them.
While antivirus software aims to detect and remove malicious programs before they can cause damage, Controlled folder access protects your files even if ransomware makes its way onto your PC.
This feature won’t stop every cyber attack, but it adds an extra layer of protection against ransomware by helping to prevent unauthorised changes to your files.
Why isn’t this always on by default?
Controlled folder access can occasionally block legitimate apps from making changes to protected folders. Leaving it switched off initially helps avoid trusted software unexpectedly being unable to save or edit files.
If an app you use is blocked after switching the feature on, you can simply add it to the allowed list in Windows Security. That means you can continue using the software while still benefiting from the extra protection against ransomware.
It’s great that Which? is raising awareness, but you can’t tackle all of today’s threats yourself.
If you need support, please contact us here at UK Business IT. We are big enough to manage all your business IT needs, with a team of experienced experts, but we’re small enough to give every customer the time and care they need.
