Kaspersky updates free anti-ransomware software

Kaspersky Lab has released a new version of its free Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business to help better protect organisations from extortionist hackers.

Some 100,000 organisations have downloaded the program in the last 12 months in the face of increasingly intense and frequent cyber threats on companies.

Kaspersky says its Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business is compatible with third-party security products, is easy to install and does not require users to have deep technical knowledge to configure and manage the software.

Another key point is that it lets companies try advanced anti-ransomware technologies without any financial outlay.

The software includes Kaspersky Lab’s System Watcher component, which detects suspicious ransomware activities, creates a temporary backup of attacked files and rolls back malicious changes, leaving the system unaffected.

It also leverages the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN), which enables the delivery of Kaspersky Lab security intelligence in a matter of seconds, while ruling out false positives and maintaining high levels of protection.

The tool was awarded a certified ransomware protection badge in June after achieving 100 per cent protection during simulated independent tests by MRG Effitas.

A recent report from Kaspersky revealed that the financial impact of a ransomware attack on a company can reach £548,971 on average.

Vladimir Zapolyansky, head of SMB business at Kaspersky Lab, said: “Given the size of the estimated financial impact from ransomware, we encourage every business to check that they have the right security solution enabled.”