Security

What you need to know about ransomware right now.

April 28
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Ransomware has been a big topic in recent newsSeveral large breaches have been publicized a great dealThe colonial pipeline breach was considered a national security threat, affecting the gas supply for consumers and airlines. Using an exploit in Microsoft Exchange server, hackers were able to get access to sensitive information from computer manufacturer Acer and leaked financial documents and spreadsheets to the public. JBS USA, one of the largest meat suppliers in the US, suffered an infiltration that forced them to temporarily halt operations at its five largest US-based plants. 

Is your Network Safe? 

With such high-profile examples making headlines, it is easy to think that smaller organizations would not be a target of interest. But sadly, that is not the case. Big names make the news, but ransomware has become a frequent problem in all industries, both large and small.

 

Here are the top 10 ransomware targets by industry, according to cybersecurity firm Sophos: 

 

  • Education 
  • Retail 
  • Business, Professional, and Legal services 
  • Central Government 
  • IT 
  • Manufacturing 
  • Energy and Utilities Infrastructure 
  • Healthcare 
  • Local Government 
  • Financial Services 

Ransomware Statistics for 2021 and 2022 

Representing a 62% increase year over year, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported

2,084 ransomware complaints from January to July 31, 2021.

 

Ways to Protect What Matters Most 

These attacks can be detrimental to your business, leading to downtime, lost revenue and loss of public trust. There is no silver bullet to completely prevent ransomware but having a multilayer strategy in place to prevent these occurrences could save you time, money and frustration.

1.) Backups. If you can restore the data yourself, there is no need to pay a ransom. 

2.) Monitor your system for threats. Use advanced technology to detect these malicious programs and remove them before they can encrypt your files.   

3.) Educate employees to recognize the potential threats.  

4.) Ransomware code targets vulnerabilities. Keep your system up to date and patch regularly. 

 

To Learn More About Ransomware, check out our latest Podcast

 

 

 

 

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