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Experts say ransomware breaches are on the rise, but can be prevented

Tech experts warn that ransomware attacks are on the rise. But there are things you can do to prevent them.

Experts say that the reason that ransomware exists is that it makes money.

Most incidents begin with phishing attempts that reach someone within an organization, and the breach spreads from there.

Two-factor authentication can help. So can using different passwords for different accounts.

Data Doctors C.E.O. Ken Colburn says that there is only so much technology can do to protect your data.

"These guys have figured out how to manipulate human beings to get past all the technology that’s out there that keeps them from just penetrating everything that we care about," Colburn said.

He says that ransomware can target individuals as well as companies, and has done so in the U.S. for a long time.

Ron Dungan was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2020 to 2024.