Microsoft rolls out new ransomware protections

Microsoft is rolling out new cybersecurity features for its Office 365 customers, including ransomware protection to help users recover lost files.

The company is now offering the “File Restore” feature to all OneDrive cloud storage users, which allows individuals to restore their entire OneDrive to a previous point within the last 30 days. This tool is already available for those who use OneDrive for Business and will be expanded to personal users. 

{mosads}“You can use this feature to recover from an accidental mass delete, file corruption, ransomware, or another catastrophic event,” said Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for Microsoft Office.

The company also announced a new feature that will notify customers by email or phone if ransomware is detected and lead them through the process of recovering files on OneDrive.

Ransomware is a popular form of malware used by cyber criminals that locks individuals out of their computer systems and demands payment to recover files. The attack method has attracted attention in recent years as a result of ransomware attacks on the health-care industry as well as local governments.

Microsoft announced the new services on Thursday, which will be available to Office 365 Home and Personal subscribers. 

Among the new features, users will also be able to set and require a password to access shared files on OneDrive, for an added layer of security. 

Microsoft said it is also adding new level of email encryption to Outlook.com.