Norman IT Expert Warns Of Ransomware Increase

There's a growing number of metro businesses falling victim to ransomware attacks, according to tech experts.

Tony Hernandez, who works at BNB Technologies in Norman, has seen an uptick over the last three months.

One of his latest clients is a metro dentist who got a notice saying his files were locked unless he pays $4,000 in bitcoin.

“He can’t look up his financials, can’t find patients, can’t see charts, see schedules,” says Hernandez.

Hernandez says these types of attacks are getting more sophisticated, and hackers aren’t just using questionable emails to gain access to networks.

Hernandez advises companies to invest in newer technologies that virtualize networks.

This can allow operations to come back after only a few minutes, not days.

“Invest in the technologies to prevent this in the first place,” advises Hernandez.

As for the dentist, it has been five days since the original attack and his office still isn’t operational.

“Hopefully after today, we’ll have 100% of it, or at least in the high 90s back,” says Hernandez who is now restoring compromised data.