Kane R / Friday, November 13, 2026 / Categories: Announcements Business Corner: Don’t Let Ransomware Close Your Doors You open the practice on a Monday morning and every computer is locked. The appointment book, patient records, invoices and lab results are all gone, replaced by a message demanding payment in cryptocurrency. That’s ransomware, and even veterinary practices are potential targets. What It Is Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts the files on your computers and servers so you can’t open them. The attackers then demand a ransom for the key to unlock them. Many groups now also copy your data before locking it and threaten to publish it if you don’t pay. Most attacks start with something ordinary—an employee clicks a link in a fake invoice email, someone reuses a password that was leaked elsewhere, or a remote access program is left open to the internet. Paying the ransom is no guarantee. Some businesses pay and never get their files back, and paying marks you as a business worth hitting again. Best Practices Back up, and keep one copy offline. Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of your data, on two kinds of media, with one stored off-site or disconnected from your network. Test a restore every few months. Don’t assume a backup works until you’ve restored from it. Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA). Require a second code from a phone or app for email, your practice management software, banking and any remote access tool. Keep software updated. Install updates for Windows, browsers and your practice software promptly, and retire old computers that no longer get security patches. Train your team. Front desk staff open the most email and attachments. Teach them to slow down on unexpected invoices, shipping notices and “urgent” requests and to report anything odd instead of deleting it quietly. Limit access. Not everyone needs administrator rights. Give staff only the access their job requires and shut off accounts the day someone leaves. Ask your vendors questions. If your practice software is cloud-based, ask how it’s backed up, how quickly you could be restored and what happens if the vendor itself is hit. Write down a plan. Know who you’ll call first (your IT provider, your insurer and the FBI), and keep that list on paper, since you won’t be able to pull it up on a locked computer. Check whether your insurance policy includes cyber coverage. If It Happens Disconnect affected computers from the network, but don’t wipe them; they may hold evidence. If client information like names with payment card numbers was exposed, Texas law requires you to notify affected individuals within 60 days and to notify the Texas Attorney General within 30 days if 250 or more Texans are affected. Where To Learn More StopRansomware.gov: Free guides, checklists and alerts from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal agency that tracks these attacks FTC Cybersecurity for Small Business: Short, plain-language fact sheets from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that work well for staff training AVMA: Five tips to protect veterinary practices: Veterinary-specific advice from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): Where to report an attack Business Corner Sponosored by Previous Article Celebrate Veterinary Practice Managers Print 12 Rate this article: No rating