Ransomware Prevention Checklist for Small Businesses 2026
Ransomware prevention checklist for small businesses 2026 safeguards UAE e-commerce startups from crypto-locking attacks targeting DED portals, supplier databases, and Noon/Amazon seller accounts.
Daily backups and air-gapped 3-2-1 rules block 95% recovery costs, essential as attacks rose 30% targeting Dubai SMEs managing ray.dubai.gov.ae logins.
Daily Offsite Backups
Implement 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies, 2 media types, 1 offsite/air-gapped. Use Backblaze B2 (AED 25/TB/month) or external NAS disconnected weekly.
Test quarterly restores—verify license PDFs, customer lists intact.
Email & Phishing Defenses
Deploy Microsoft Defender or Proofpoint (AED 15/user/month). Mandatory MFA on all email/accounts. Block macros in Office docs.
Quarterly phishing sims via GoPhish—aim <5% click rates.
Endpoint Protection
CrowdStrike Falcon Go (AED 50/device/year) or free Sophos Intercept X Home. Enable ransomware rollback, behavior monitoring.
Patch Windows/macOS within 7 days—zero-day exploits hit 40% SMBs.
Network Security Basics
Firewall all ports except 80/443. VPN for remote access (Tailscale free tier). Segment guest WiFi from business systems.
Disable RDP unless bastioned; use SSH keys.
Complete Checklist Table
Category Action Items Priority
Backup 3-2-1 rule, weekly tests Critical
Email MFA, Defender filtering Critical
Endpoints EDR, auto-patches High
Network Firewall, VPN-only RDP High
Training Quarterly phishing sims Medium
Access Zero-trust, 90-day rotations Medium
Incident Response Plan
Document: Isolate infected device, notify insurer, pay nothing. UAE cyber police hotline: 999. RTO <4 hours via backups.
Insurance: BuyTailor AED 500/year coverage—pays recovery, not ransom.
Employee Training Essentials
Ban USB drives. Report suspicious "license urgent" emails. Password managers mandatory (Bitwarden free).
Pro Tips: Whitelist ray.dubai.gov.ae, tax.gov.ae domains. Monitor dark web leaks via HaveIBeenPwned. Annual tabletop exercises.
Ransomware prevention checklist