Cyber Security Awareness Month Topic:  Ransomware

Imagine: You log onto your work computer one morning to find that all your communication, important files, and data are gone. Your business can’t function. Your phone is blowing up with angry customers. Then you find a message demanding $100,000 to get it all back. 

The culprit? Ransomware. $100,000 doesn’t begin to cover the damages that ensue with a halt in operations and the loss of those files and data. And the worst part? It was all too easy to pull off.

Can I be a victim of ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware that involves a hacker infiltrating your company, typically through a phishing email, and encrypting your files for a ransom. In the past, ransomware hackers have almost exclusively targeted big corporations whose operations would go belly-up without access to their data. Now, those same hackers are attacking mid-sized companies and even mom-and-pop shops. Yes, even individuals are vulnerable to these cyber crimes. Everyone is at risk when they don’t take this type of threat seriously. One point to keep in the forefront: Phishing emails are the #1 way hackers pull off these attacks. Always be cautious and don’t trust every email and link!

Is ransomware becoming a more common thing?

Studies show that these attacks have become much more frequent and well-coordinated in recent years. We are past the days of individual “freelance attackers” and into an age of coordinated hacker groups who supply the platforms and infrastructure to create havoc. Some groups such as REvil and Conti have even started offering ransomware as a service. With this level of sophistication, it is vital to make sure you have defenses at an equal or greater level to these cyber criminals. 

Your privacy and livelihood may depend on it.

Ransomware Facts You Need To Know:

1. Ransomware cost the globe $20 billion in 2021. Twenty with a B.
2. Attacker’s targets are these top 5 industries: Education (15%), municipalities (12%), healthcare (12%), infrastructure (8%) and financial (6%).
3. Ransomware attacks on the healthcare and financial sectors alone… Tripled in the last 12 months.

#cybersecurity #cyberriskmanagement #cyberrisk #firewall #firewallmanagement #itnetwork #networksecurity #msp #cisco #ciscomeraki #meraki

Sources: 
Cybersecurity Ventures 
Link: https://www.herjavecgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CV-HG-2019-Official-Annual-Cybercrime-Report.pdf

Barracuda
Link: https://fr.barracuda.com/news/article/859#.Y0C4d-zMLzc