Ransomware is one of the most dangerous cyber threats facing businesses today. Attackers encrypt your files and demand payment to restore access, often costing companies millions. Small businesses are especially vulnerable due to limited security budgets. The good news is that with the right mix of tools, practices, and awareness, you can drastically reduce your risks. Let’s break down the most effective ways to defend your business.

1. Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP)

Introduction: Endpoint protection platforms use advanced AI and behavior monitoring to detect ransomware before it executes. Solutions like VMware Carbon Black, CrowdStrike Falcon, or SentinelOne are popular in this category.

Pros:

• AI-driven threat detection
• Centralized management for all devices
• Stops malware in real-time

Cons:

• Subscription costs can be high
• Requires IT expertise for deployment

Price: $25–$50 per endpoint/month (varies by vendor)

Personal Comment: EPP is like having a security guard at every computer in your office—costly but indispensable.

2. Regular Backups (Cloud & On-Prem)

Introduction: A strong backup strategy ensures you can restore your data without paying attackers. Cloud backup providers like Acronis, Backblaze, or Veeam make this process easy.

Pros:

• Protects against data loss
• Enables quick disaster recovery
• Works even if ransomware bypasses defenses

Cons:

• Storage costs can increase with data growth
• Needs routine testing of backup recovery

Price: $5–$20 per user/month for most business plans

Personal Comment: Backups are like a safety net—you hope never to need them, but when you do, they save the day.

3. Employee Training & Awareness

Introduction: Most ransomware infections start with phishing emails. Training employees to spot suspicious links and attachments reduces the risk dramatically. Platforms like KnowBe4 specialize in security awareness training.

Pros:

• Addresses the human factor of security
• Improves overall company cyber hygiene
• Relatively low cost

Cons:

• Requires regular refreshers
• Does not directly stop ransomware—only lowers chances

Price: $8–$20 per employee/year

Personal Comment: Training employees is like giving them armor—cheap, effective, and often overlooked.

4. Firewalls & Network Segmentation

Introduction: Next-generation firewalls (NGFW) and proper network segmentation prevent ransomware from spreading across your entire network once it infiltrates one machine.

Pros:

• Stops lateral movement of ransomware
• Filters malicious traffic
• Improves overall IT infrastructure security

Cons:

• Can be complex to configure
• Initial setup costs can be high

Price: $500–$2000+ for hardware, plus licensing

Personal Comment: Firewalls act like walls between rooms—if one gets infected, it can’t spread easily.

5. Patch Management & Updates

Introduction: Many ransomware attacks exploit outdated software vulnerabilities. Automated patch management ensures systems are always up to date.

Pros:

• Closes common attack doors
• Low-cost and effective
• Can be automated

Cons:

• Poorly tested updates can cause compatibility issues
• Needs consistent monitoring

Price: Often included in enterprise IT suites (Microsoft, ManageEngine, etc.)

Personal Comment: Regular updates are the digital equivalent of locking your doors—simple but vital.

Comparison Table

Ransomware threats will only continue to evolve, but so will defenses. By combining smart tools, disciplined processes, and continuous employee education, your business can build a resilient security posture. Remember: it’s not about eliminating risk entirely—it’s about minimizing it to keep your operations safe and running.

Managing personal and business finances has become easier thanks to the rise of AI-powered expense tracking apps. These tools don’t just record your spending; they analyze patterns, provide smart suggestions, and help you take better control of your money. Let’s explore some of the best apps available today.

1. Mint

Introduction: Mint by Intuit is one of the most popular expense tracking apps. With AI-driven budgeting tools, it automatically categorizes your spending and offers tailored tips to help you save.

Pros:

• Automatic expense categorization
• Free to use
• Bill reminders and alerts

Cons:

• Ads within the app
• Limited customization for categories

Price: Free

Personal Comment: Mint is excellent for beginners who want a no-cost way to get financial insights, though power users might crave more customization.

2. You Need A Budget (YNAB)

Introduction: YNAB takes a proactive approach to budgeting. Its AI features help forecast spending and teach users to give every dollar a job, making it ideal for disciplined financial management.

Pros:

• Great educational resources
• Detailed AI-powered reports
• Strong community support

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve
• Subscription required

Price: $14.99/month or $99/year

Personal Comment: YNAB is for those who take budgeting seriously—it’s like having a personal finance coach built into an app.

3. PocketGuard

Introduction: PocketGuard uses AI to simplify expense tracking by showing how much you can safely spend after covering bills and savings goals.

Pros:

• “In My Pocket” feature for real spending power
• Simple, intuitive design
• AI-driven financial suggestions

Cons:

• Limited investment tracking
• Free version is basic

Price: Free, or $7.99/month for Plus

Personal Comment: PocketGuard is like a financial buddy reminding you how much is safe to spend—it keeps things practical and stress-free.

4. Wally

Introduction: Wally is an AI-powered financial app designed for global users, supporting multiple currencies and giving detailed spending insights.

Pros:

• Multi-currency support
• AI-generated spending insights
• Collaborative features for families

Cons:

• Some features locked behind premium
• Smaller user community

Price: Free with premium add-ons

Personal Comment: Wally shines if you’re a frequent traveler or managing finances in multiple currencies—AI keeps everything neatly categorized.

5. Spendee

Introduction: Spendee blends AI insights with visual dashboards, making it great for both individuals and families who want to track shared expenses.

Pros:

• Family and group budgeting options
• Visual, colorful dashboards
• Connects with crypto wallets

Cons:

• Bank syncing not always smooth
• Free plan is limited

Price: Free, Premium starts at $14.99/year

Personal Comment: Spendee makes financial tracking less boring—it’s visually fun while still giving solid AI-backed insights.

Comparison Table

AI-powered expense tracking apps aren’t just tools—they’re financial partners. From the simplicity of Mint to the discipline of YNAB, or the global support of Wally, there’s a solution for every financial journey. Choosing the right one depends on your lifestyle, financial goals, and how much control you want over your money.

Cloud storage isn’t just “extra space.” It’s collaboration, security, and peace of mind. Let’s dive into the top contenders — each with their own personality, strengths, and weaknesses. At the end, you’ll find a side-by-side comparison table for quick reference.

Comparison Table

Introduction

The CSS resize property is a powerful tool that allows users to interactively resize elements by dragging their corners or edges. While most commonly associated with textarea elements, this property can be applied to any element that has its overflow property set to something other than visible.

Basic Syntax

resize: none | both | horizontal | vertical | block | inline;

Property Values

none

Completely disables the resize functionality. No resize handle will appear.

textarea {
    resize: none;
}

both

Allows resizing in both horizontal and vertical directions (default for textareas).

.resizable-box {
    resize: both;
    overflow: auto;
    width: 300px;
    height: 200px;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
}

horizontal

Restricts resizing to the horizontal direction only.

.horizontal-resize {
    resize: horizontal;
    overflow: auto;
    width: 300px;
    height: 100px;
}

vertical

Restricts resizing to the vertical direction only.

.vertical-resize {
    resize: vertical;
    overflow: auto;
    width: 300px;
    height: 100px;
}

block and inline

These newer values allow resizing along the block or inline axis, respectively. They adapt to the writing mode of the document.

.block-resize {
    resize: block;  /* Vertical in horizontal writing mode */
    overflow: auto;
}

.inline-resize {
    resize: inline; /* Horizontal in horizontal writing mode */
    overflow: auto;
}

Browser Support

Common Use Cases

1. Removing Default Textarea Resize

Many developers disable the default resize behavior of textareas for consistent form styling:

/* Disable textarea resizing */
textarea {
    resize: none;
}

/* Or allow only vertical resizing */
textarea {
    resize: vertical;
}

2. Resizable Content Areas

Create user-customizable content areas in dashboards or applications:

.widget {
    resize: both;
    overflow: auto;
    min-width: 200px;
    min-height: 150px;
    max-width: 600px;
    max-height: 400px;
    border: 2px solid #ddd;
    padding: 1rem;
}

3. Code Editor Panes

Allow developers to adjust the size of code editing areas:

.code-editor {
    resize: both;
    overflow: auto;
    width: 100%;
    min-height: 300px;
    font-family: monospace;
    background: #f8f8f8;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
}

Best Practices

Always Set Size Constraints

Prevent users from breaking your layout by setting reasonable minimum and maximum dimensions:

.resizable-element {
    resize: both;
    overflow: auto;
    
    /* Set reasonable constraints */
    min-width: 150px;
    min-height: 100px;
    max-width: 800px;
    max-height: 600px;
}

Consider the User Experience

Only make elements resizable when it genuinely improves the user experience. Not every element needs to be resizable.

Provide Visual Cues

Make it clear to users which elements can be resized, especially for non-textarea elements:

.resizable-hint {
    resize: both;
    overflow: auto;
    border: 2px dashed #ccc;
    position: relative;
}

.resizable-hint::after {
    content: "↘ Drag to resize";
    position: absolute;
    bottom: 5px;
    right: 5px;
    font-size: 12px;
    color: #666;
    pointer-events: none;
}

Common Gotchas

Forgetting the Overflow Property

The most common mistake is not setting the overflow property:

/* This won't work */
.broken {
    resize: both;
    /* overflow is 'visible' by default - resize won't work! */
}

/* This will work */
.working {
    resize: both;
    overflow: auto; /* Required for resize to function */
}

Not Setting Initial Dimensions

Elements without initial width/height may not display resize handles properly:

.resizable-div {
    resize: both;
    overflow: auto;
    width: 300px;  /* Set initial dimensions */
    height: 200px;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
}

Accessibility Considerations

• Keyboard Navigation: Resize handles are not accessible via keyboard navigation
• Screen Readers: Screen readers may not announce that elements are resizable
• Motor Impairments: Fine motor control required for dragging may be challenging
• Alternative Methods: Consider providing buttons or other controls for users who cannot use drag gestures

Future Considerations

The CSS resize property continues to evolve. Future specifications may include:

• Better touch device support
• More granular control over resize handles
• Programmatic resize events
• Enhanced accessibility features

Conclusion

The CSS resize property is a valuable tool for creating user-customizable interfaces. With excellent support across modern desktop browsers and straightforward implementation, it’s an effective way to give users control over element sizing. Remember to always set appropriate constraints and consider the user experience when implementing resizable elements.

While mobile support is limited due to touch interface constraints, the property gracefully degrades, ensuring your interfaces remain functional across all devices. Use it thoughtfully in applications where user customization genuinely adds value.