How Data Loss Can Occur Due to Malware

Data loss. Two words no one wants to hear. Everyone’s data is precious to them, sometimes, if they are not careful, it is irreplaceable. Think about what’s on the phones and laptops: the latest work, data, emails, photos, and our studies – it’s the entire digital world of every organisation. However, data loss happens every day.

No matter how big or small your business is, TickTockTech is just a phone call away for data recovery in Toronto in areas like M5T, M4S, M5N, M6G, M5T, M4J, and M5T. Get professional and affordable data recovery and tech support. The experienced and qualified teams of TickTockTech have the expertise and skills to help your company become more productive.

Malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks

No one  can never be too complacent when it comes to cybersecurity. In the modern world, malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks are extremely common. Recent statistics show that ransomware attacks have increased by 130% recently.

Ransomware is particularly nasty because it doesn’t destroy your data, instead encrypting it in such a way that it can’t be decrypted. If your computer is infected with ransomware, all your files are still there, but they’ve been masked with complete and utter nonsense. The only way to restore these files to their original state is to pay a ransom, usually in Bitcoin or some other form of cryptocurrency.

By paying this ransom, you are funding these hackers to continue their criminal endeavours. The only other way to recover files after a ransomware attack is to restore them from a recent backup.

Other malware or more traditional computer viruses are just as common. These malicious pieces of software also pose a risk to mobile phones, in April 2021 a widespread text message scam affecting Android phones in the UK tricked users into installing an app that pretended to be a delivery tracking service but contained malware designed to steal your data.

How malware can damage your data

Although malware and phishing do not directly cause data loss, they are extremely disturbing and cause a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Some malware is capable of damaging your device or operating system, meaning you won’t be able to turn on your phone or computer. A famous example of this is the MEMZ Virus for Windows 10, which warns you 3-4 times that it will destroy your computer, so it’s safe to say that it was intended as a joke for professionals to use in a secure virtual environment. This particular virus will corrupt the master boot record, meaning you will have to format the drive and reinstall the operating system, losing all your files in the process.

So having a data recovery service and tech support in Toronto like Ticktocktech in areas of Kensington will serve its purpose and still be cost-effective.

Conclusion

Never click on links that make you suspicious, always verify the source. It is highly unlikely that legitimate companies will send you links that you did not expect. Ask yourself: are you expecting this email/text message? If not, then it is quite likely that it is a scam. Be aware and protect your data at all costs!