Ransomware is a menace for businesses of all sizes. This blog post will discuss ransomware prevention measures that you can take as an IT department to better protect your company against these attacks.
Learn about what ransomware is and the primary
targets before we get into how to better prepare your business for it with
better IT infrastructure and more knowledgeable staff members. Don't let it
happen to you- read on!
Ransomware: What is it?
Ransomware, a form of malware, infects the victim's
computers or network. Once it does, the malware encrypts certain files on that
machine and then holds them hostage until payment is received in return for
unlocking access to those documents. It can be delivered through phishing
attacks by email, malicious advertisements on websites visited by your
workforce, infected apps downloaded from third-party app stores (no matter how
reputable) or other nefarious means.
After the ransomware has successfully infiltrated
its target environment, it will lock out users of that computer system who try
to gain access with an "Access denied" error message that prevents
any new data entry into this device. The software may even delete itself. To
recover your data and prevent it from getting deleted, the attackers put forth
their demands, which is usually money.
Who
do cybercriminals generally target?
The primary targets of ransomware are small/medium
size businesses and even home users. Organizations with better IT
department Infrastructure (i.e., better security tools), a more
well-trained workforce, and a good backup strategy tend to be less likely
victims.
While this may sound like an unrealistic situation
for many individuals or business owners who do not have the funds to spare for
dedicated staff members in each area of their company's structure, you must
specifically plan for these types of threats.
Ways
to prevent ransomware attacks?
If you take specific preventive measures, your
organization will be better equipped should such adverse events occur without
having too much damage done as a result.
1)
Equip your workforce with necessary information.
Having good IT services consulting companies is pertinent as they can take security
measures like putting up a firewall, secure every computer, keep track of all
the upgrades, and much more. However, all your employees must know what
ransomware threats are, how they work and the various forms in which these
attacks can occur. Tell them not to open any suspicious links, and always be
alert or inform the IT department if they receive any suspicious-looking
emails.
2)
Plan for ransomware specifically.
Ransomware is a major threat to a business' online
and offline data. So a company should know precisely what to do in case this
does happen, and for that, mock drills should be performed where employees are
made to respond accordingly.
3)
Back up your data.
This is a crucial step and can be done on a daily or
weekly basis, depending upon how often you wish to test your data backup
process. Ensure that this method of recovery works as expected, else it will
fail when needed the most!
Also, the most critical data shall be backed up
separately in case of any mishap.
Make sure to store the backup in a different
location or, better yet, offline on an external drive where it is accessible
from anywhere, and you would not risk losing your data due to natural
calamities.
4)
Segment your network
One of the essential steps in ransomware protection
is to segment your network. This will ensure that when a ransomware attack hits
one part of your network, it does not affect all other parts, thus allowing you
to shut down the affected area and work on restoring from backup while leaving
the unaffected areas available for operations.
Ensure that critical data resides within a separate
partition to avoid attacks where hackers gain access through phishing emails.
They cannot delete/modify/alter any information present in this section using
their malware code since it doesn't have access rights. Also, this method
ensures better privacy as every segment will have its own security policy and
access requirements. Every person will have access only to the data they
require to do their job.
5)
Automate Patching
To better manage the patching system, they should be
automated. Automated patch management ensures regular updates without any human
intervention and hence better security from threats with exploit code available
in unpatched systems. This way, you will have a secure infrastructure which can
self-heal itself when attacked or compromised by malware.
Some
instances of ransomware attacks
Ransomware can be pernicious not only to the
operations of the company but also to the finances. Some of the instances that
happened before that can make you realize the gravity of the situation are
briefed below.
1)
Attack on the Kaseya supply chain
A ransomware virus was found in the Kaseya update
server, which meant all the companies that use its products to manage their IT
infrastructure were put at risk. The firms using the software were demanded to
pay a ransom to decrypt their files and get their data back.
2)
Attack on Brenntag
Brenntag, a German chemicals distributor, also faced
such an attack as cyber criminals demanded money for not infecting all the
company's networks with ransomware virus. The ransom paid is said to be around
$4.4 million.
The DarkSide group is known to have launched this
type of attacks and they are very elaborate at what they do which makes it
difficult for companies who get attacked by them to find a way to resolve these
types of threats.
These instances show us that ransomware can be disastrous if left unchecked or unattended upon discovery. The best thing you can do about it before succumbing to its claws is to upgrade your IT department infrastructure to better protect yourself from danger.
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