NETWORKING

Protect network shares from ransomware attack

I’ve heard it’s possible for ransomware to access files on my NAS if it infects my PC. Can I prevent this, and how? Iain Collingwood

The best way to prevent ransomware from infecting any network shares is to make sure your network credentials aren’t stored in Windows. This step-by-step guide shows you what you’ll need to take to secure your NAS and its backups.

1

CHANGE SHARED CREDENTIALS If you’ve set up a user on your NAS that shares the same username and password as your Windows account for ease of access, log into your NAS’s user account settings and change the password to something unique.

2

NEVER SAVE CREDENTIALS When you’re next prompted to log on to access a network share, make sure the box ‘Remember my credentials’ is left unticked – this ensures that Windows doesn’t store the password, giving ransomware a way in.

3

REMOVE EXISTING CREDENTIALS Type ‘credentials’ into the Search box and click ‘Credential Manager’. You should see entries for each saved network password under ‘Windows Credentials’ – click the v button followed by Remove > Yes to clear it.

4

STORE CREDENTIALS ELSEWHERE If you’re accessing the network share through a third-party app – say your backup tool – you should be able to securely store your credentials in the app itself. In Macrium, select Other Tasks > Edit Defaults > Network tab to do so.