PATCHOGUE, N.Y., July 25, 2018 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- As part of their commitment to helping businesses protect their technology from malicious infiltration, Server Bays, a leader in IT consulting on Long Island, shares 4 ways to defend yourself against Crypto-jacking.

The world of cryptocurrency has exploded in recent years, and people around the world are looking to get their hands on virtual coins with hopes that the value will continue to climb. These currencies are "mined" using the processing power of computers, and vulnerabilities in system security can open a company up to crypto-jacking.

By remotely accessing a company's computers, hackers can hijack computers and use their power to secretly mine cryptocurrency - increasing power consumption and slowing the system down.

To protect a business from crypto-jacking, consider following these best-practice guidelines.

Use and maintain antivirus software. Antivirus software is a key part of keeping a computer secure from malicious software, and it also goes a long way toward protecting from crypto-jacking. Many companies have some sort of antivirus software on their computers, but new hacks and attacks are developed on a daily basis. Make sure that the antivirus software is not only used but updated to the latest version to protect computer systems from crypto-jacking.

Change default passwords. One of the biggest mistakes a company's employees make with regard to computer security is having weak passwords - or even using the system's default password. Part of protecting a computer from attacks like crypto-jacking is making it as hard as possible for unauthorized users to gain access.

For the best results, use long passwords with a combination of letters, numbers, and special symbols to make hacking the account as difficult as possible. Modern password guidelines also recommend changing passwords semi-regularly and avoiding previously-used passwords - both practices that can keep a company's computers protected.

Restrict general user accounts. For a business of any size, there are likely different levels of employees with differing needs for computer access and privileges. There is no reason that someone who only uses the system for general business productivity needs the ability to install programs and modify the computer's files. By restricting these privileges to the people responsible for maintaining the business's technology, an IT team can prevent the average employee from unwittingly installing malicious software.

Apply application whitelisting. Just as restricting general user accounts can protect a company from crypto-jacking, making use of application whitelisting is an integral part of keeping computer systems protected. By making a list of the programs that are allowed to run on the computer and blocking access to all other programs or utilities, a business can ensure that only approved software is running on their systems. When technology is restricted to only run pre-approved applications, crypto-jacking code won't have the permissions required to hijack a computer's processor.

ABOUT SERVER BAYS

Founded in 2014, Server Bays LLC is Long Island's fastest growing managed service firm. Server Bays LLC provides companies with cost effective custom technology solutions. To date, they have helped several clients achieve a better return on investment. Founder Ryan Yannelli and Vice President Anthony Milazzo bring energy, enthusiasm, and expertise to IT solutions, and their company has quickly earned a 5-star rating.

Media Contact: Desiree Freeman, fishbat Media, 855-347-4228, desiree@fishbat.com

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SOURCE Server Bays LLC