I finally saw a real business get hit by ransomware at a conference in Denver

I was at a small tech meetup last year, and a guy from a local print shop gave a talk. He said they got locked out of all their files for three days because someone clicked a bad link in an email. They lost about 15,000 dollars in work and had to pay to get their data back. It made me think hard about backups. Some people there said you should never pay the ransom, because it just funds more attacks. Others said if it's your business and you have no backup, you have to pay to survive. Now I run a full backup of my own stuff every Friday without fail. What's the better rule for a small business: never negotiate, or do whatever it takes to stay open?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthony_campbell881d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, they had to pay to get their own data back? That's just... man.

grant.felix1d ago

Tell me about it, Anthony. It feels like a total scam dressed up as a business practice. They hold your own photos or files hostage and then demand a fee for the key. It makes you wonder who thought that was a fair system. The whole thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, you know? It's your stuff, and you have to buy it back.

the_xena1d ago

That Denver story is a tough one. The "never pay" rule sounds good until your business is about to fold. For a small shop with no backup, paying might be the only move to keep the lights on.