While we are trying to protect our immune systems from the coronavirus, our computer systems and data are also under attack.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software, also known as malware, designed to block access to and/or threaten to publish data and computer systems. The attacker will encrypt the system or data until a ransom fee is paid by the victim. One of the easiest ways for attackers to spread ransomware is through emails. This is called phishing and it deceives victims by posing as a reputable company or individual and getting them to reveal private and sensitive information.
Ransomware had a 150% rise in 2021 and will continue to rise in 2022 according to the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. Even high profile companies have been victims of Ransomware. Some of the highest profile names hit with ransomware attacks in 2021 include: Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department, Kaseya, Accenture, Acer, and Colonial Pipeline. It has also become easier as attackers can download prefabricated ransomware kits from the dark web known as Ransomware as a Service (RaaS).
“According to a recent Trend Micro report, a staggering 84% of US organizations experienced either a phishing or ransomware attack in the last year. The average ransomware payment was over $500,000.” https://securityintelligence.com/articles/ransomware-attacks-gangs-2022/
How do we stop it?
Cybersecurity companies are working overtime to catch the attacks by taking a modern approach. More traditional security measures, like “Castle-and-moat” model, can be an issue because it only secures the perimeters of a network. That assumes that anyone with access credentials can be trusted to move through the system easily. More companies are moving to the Zero Trust model (never trust, always verify) which utilizes a multi factor authentication method. Zero Trust requires everything to be verified through patterns based on device posture, time and identity.
Ransomware is here to stay and we’ll see advancements in methods attackers will take as cybersecurity companies continue to crackdown on them. Is your system safe? Let Simply Secure stop hackers in their tracks with cybersecurity risk mitigation. At Simply Secure we use an award-winning Endpoint Detection and Response system by SentinelOne. This high-performance Endpoint Detection and Response Agent covers Windows, Mac and Linux Devices. With nine detection engines and a fully autonomous AI, our agent will scan, detect, track and eliminate known and unknown threats from all devices.
Some of our trusted clients are the Early Learning Coalition of Miami Dade/Monroe, Jamaica Stock Exchange, National Bank of the Virgin Islands, and The Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) Inc just to name a few.