Stop Ransomware Now In Baton Rouge
The number of ransomware attacks hit a record high in 2021. Globally, there was a 151% increase in ransomware attacks in the first half of 2021 compared to the previous year. These attacks seem to have increased due to the changes in the business landscape where most employees had to work remotely.
Following the high number of ransomware cases, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency had to intervene with the ‘Stop Ransomware’ to curb these incidences. CISA has now unveiled a Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, a new initiative to help combat ransomware attacks by sharing vital details with the private and government sectors. Read on for more insights.
What Is Ransomware?
Ransomware is malware or a type of software that infects a victim’s files on a computer or other device. The bad actors then restrict the user or organization from accessing the files, documents, applications, or database and demand a ransom to grant access.
A ransomware attack usually spreads across an organization’s network and targets file servers and databases, paralyzing the entire business operations quickly. This is a growing threat that cybercriminals use to generate billions of dollars from private businesses and public organizations alike.
Who Is at Risk?
No organization is immune to ransomware attacks, so it’s not a question of if it’s when. And with more workers working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberattackers also increased their threats through phishing. The bad actors use phishing as a starting point to gain access to employee devices, leading to a ransomware infection. Phishing emails mostly target unsuspicious employees with high or low privileges within a company.
Cyberattackers use emails because it’s an inexpensive, easy, and convenient way of spreading ransomware. The unsuspecting recipients of these emails then open these emails containing malicious attached documents or files. This leads to the introduction of ransomware to your local devices within the organization and then delivers its payload. In efforts to prevent ransomware attacks, CISA has also developed a cybersecurity evaluation tool to test your business’s ransomware readiness.
How Can You Protect Your Organization Against Ransomware?
A ransomware attack can be devastating to any organization regardless of the company size, and the recovery is difficult. In recent years, even established companies such as Accenture, ADATA, and Fujifilm have become victims of these attacks. CISA has developed a ransomware response checklist for organizations that become victims of these attacks.
Some of the defensive tips and practices that can help prevent ransomware infections include:
Backup Your Data
You can easily bounce back from an attack when you have automated and protected backups for all your sensitive documents and data. Even better, you would have to pay any ransom. Make it a habit to back up data to prevent data loss and downtime in case your company is a victim of ransomware.
Patching
Another vital prevention measure is patching. Cybercriminals regularly check on organizations’ systems for the latest uncovered exploits. Therefore, make sure all the systems in your company have the latest patches. This will reduce the number of vulnerabilities in your system for cybercriminals to exploit.
Security Awareness Programs
Your employees can be the weakest link leading to a ransomware attack. Avail security awareness training to every staff member so that they are aware of methods used by cybercriminals such as phishing.
Get Professional Assistance from Essential Solutions Ransomware Experts
Don’t wait until your organization becomes a victim of a ransomware attack. Instead, apply the above measure to keep the bad actors at bay. The recommendations issued by CISA are in response to the recent ransomware attacks that have become a threat to public and private organizations. You can also partner with Essential Solutions IT experts to come up with the best cybersecurity solutions to address the vulnerabilities in your system. Contact Essential Solutions for a free assessment today.
Thanks to the awesome team at Columbia MD IT Services company, Orion Networks for their help with this article.
