Unfortunately, Ransomware is Just Getting Worse

ransomware

Ransomware is a top threat, and it’s definitely not going anywhere anytime soon. To help you best combat it, let’s take a look at what you can do to keep ransomware from disrupting your organization and its operations. We’ll provide a brief overview of what ransomware is and what you can do to take the fight to it. 

What is Ransomware: A Review 

Ransomware is a type of malware that locks down a device or system until a ransom has been paid. It’s been around for quite some time, and it has only grown more dangerous since. Trend Micro reports that 84 percent of organizations have experienced either phishing or ransomware in the past year, with the two often going hand-in-hand. 

There are plenty of innovations that modern ransomware has brought with it, along with countless ways for it to weasel its way past even the most carefully-laid defenses. Instead of simply infecting devices, hackers now use ransomware to steal and leak data if the ransom is not paid, which creates a lot of problems from a compliance standpoint. Furthermore, some cyber criminals offer ransomware-as-a-service to anyone willing to pay for these attacks. Sometimes hackers will even fake ransomware attacks just to make a quick buck, claiming that they have infected a PC when in reality they simply haven’t. 

So, how does your business take the fight to ransomware? We hope to answer that question here. 

What to Do to Face Down Ransomware 

The precautions taken against ransomware have been consistent, but more advanced variants require more complicated measures. The best way to combat ransomware used to be storing a data backup off-site, but now that ransomware has started using the above-outlined double-extortion methods, this is not always guaranteed to be effective. While we always recommend data backup in the first place, a backup is not the best way to protect against ransomware anymore. The best way to secure your business is to utilize multiple measures, including the following: 

Keeping Defenses Up-to-Date 

Ransomware can be stopped by some basic security solutions, like firewalls and antivirus programs, so don’t neglect these protections. It’s important to keep them up-to-date. The same goes for any patches or security updates to your business’ chosen solutions. Of course, we do recommend using more advanced protections, as well. You should implement a monitoring solution to keep tabs on your infrastructure—especially with email. If possible, have your IT resource configure your email gateway to scan ZIP attachments and block executable files. Long story short, the fewer ransomware attempts that your employees are exposed to, the less likely you are to suffer from one. 

Educating and Evaluating Users 

On that same note, you need to make sure your team is aware of these threats and how to address them. Ideally, your staff will never encounter a ransomware attempt, but we rarely run business in an ideal world. Your employees will be the last line of defense against these attacks, so be sure they are armed with the knowledge to spot one. You should also make sure that you are regularly testing your employees to ensure they can put this knowledge into practice. Simulated attacks against your infrastructure can help to identify personnel who need a refresher on how to appropriately handle security issues with your business. 

Following Zero-Trust Policies 

There is always the possibility that one of your users will accidentally fall victim to a threat. This is why it is so terribly important to minimize the damage done as a result of an attack. A zero-trust policy is one way you can make sure this happens, as you are effectively limiting network access until you can guarantee the identity of the user. Furthermore, we also recommend enabling multi-factor authentication whenever possible. This gives you more of a buffer between threats and their targets. 

Maintaining Backup Practices 

Some attacks will take advantage of businesses that properly back up their data, but not all of them will. In any case, it never hurts to have data backup in place. It’s one cybersecurity practice that all companies should use, no matter what. 

Ransomware is a Challenging Threat—We Can Help You Address It 

4 Corner IT can help your business keep itself safe. To learn more, reach out to us at 954-474-2204. 

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Secure Email Solutions for Your Business

secure email solutions

We certainly live and work in challenging times these days. With an acceleration in hacking attempts, data thieves, etc. since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever for companies to ensure they are doing everything they can to protect themselves from potential security issues. Of course, one of the ways that users are communicating with each other and their clients even more, is by way of email. Whereas before an employee may simply have walked over to a co-worker’s desk for a work-related conversation, now many employees are working remotely, thus increasing the likelihood they may be exposed to a security threat. If they haven’t already done so, now is the time for companies to review the options for secure email solutions.  

Layered Solutions  

As the title of the article implies, it’s not enough anymore to have one security solution. Companies must think in terms of multiple security solutions, and that means layering their security coverage. In terms of email security, it’s not enough anymore to rely only on the security tools provided by the email giants such as Google or Microsoft. While these companies do offer basic types of coverage that provide some protection, smart organizations are wise to consider adding another layer of protection for their email correspondence, by way of a third party vendor that specializes in cloud-based email security.

What to Look For

When looking for third party security packages, a good solution will encompass several key components in order to address several email-specific security vulnerabilities.

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is a type of malware that takes over and encrypts a victim’s device or information, and it is becoming an increasingly popular type of email attack. A good email security solution will outline how it stops these types of attacks before the hacker can follow through.

Internal Threat

With more and more employees working from home, it does become more of a challenge for companies to track their employees and their actions. Whether by accident or a deliberate attempt by a malicious employee to expose sensitive corporate data, a third party email solution can block outbound email-based connections before they occur.

Spear Phishing

Hackers often use tactics such as spear phishing in an attempt to confuse an employee into clicking on a malicious link. Many hackers will take a substantial amount of time to study a company. They then attempt to impersonate someone either high up in the company they want to exploit, or someone from another other business or vendor with which they work closely. Employees not used to working remotely may feel someone isolated and alone, and just enough out of their routine to click on a link that seems legitimately sent by someone in management, when it’s not.

A good third party email solution will employ custom security controls based on correspondence patterns, location and normal activity, thus preventing employees from trying to follow through on an unusual request.

Benefits 

Third party software security applications can save both regular employees and IT team members from having to manually fend off spam, malicious attachments, dangerous file types and suspicious impersonation attacks. In addition to reducing the amount of time that employees spend on these types of threats, they also have other benefits. Cloud-based email security solution packages can provide email backup and recovery, in addition to streamlining the management, availability, and retrieval of emails through cloud-based archiving. Some companies also find great benefit in the ability of a security package to handle e-discovery and compliance issues by offering specialized tools to meet their regulatory requirements.

We’re Here to Help

If you need assistance in reviewing the current level of email security protection in your organization, we can help.

Contact us today for more information on how security layering can provide the protection and peace of mind your company is looking for.