Think Paying the Ransom Will Fix Everything? Think Again

Imagine logging into your system one morning and finding everything locked down. A message demands thousands to get your data back. The pressure is intense. The temptation to just pay up and move on is real.

But here’s the hard truth: Paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee anything. And it often makes things worse.

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and they’re only getting smarter. These days, it’s not just about locking up your files. Attackers also steal your data and threaten to leak it unless you pay. They’ll even go after your backups, so you can’t restore and continue.

Many business owners think paying the ransom is the quickest way to get back to normal. But it’s rarely that simple. Research paints a stark picture:

• Average Downtime: 21 days (Varonis).

• Cost of Recovery: Recovery costs can be up to 10 times the ransom amount, with the average reaching $1.85 million (Sophos).

Why such a high cost? Because even after paying, you might not get your data back. Or it could be corrupted. You may still endure lengthy downtime, face regulatory penalties, or lose customer trust if confidential information is exposed.

And then there’s the bigger picture. Every ransom paid helps fund the next attack. It’s a vicious cycle. The more profitable ransomware becomes, the more motivated cyber criminals are to keep going… and keep improving their techniques.

So, is there a better approach? Yes.

Focus on recovery, not ransom. That means investing in strong, secure backups that ransomware can’t touch. It means regularly testing your recovery plans, training your team to respond quickly, and making sure your systems can be restored safely if disaster strikes.

You can’t always prevent ransomware from entering, but you can ensure it doesn’t stop your business.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.