A Rise in Ransomware & Phishing
So far in 2023, we have witnessed a concerning (but not surprising) rise in cyberattacks, particularly in the form of ransomware and phishing. And understanding the evolving tactics of cybercriminals is crucial for everyone.
Ransomware
These attacks are one of the most prevalent and damaging threats in the cyber landscape. Unlike other types of malware, ransomware encrypts victims’ files and demands a ransom to restore access. This year, cybercriminals took ransomware to new heights
How to Create an Incident Response Plan
We often discuss the proactive approach that you should take when it comes to cybersecurity. Security risk assessments will identify the gaps, ongoing training will help to strengthen the human risk factor, and tools like Catch Phish will keep the team engaged and learning along with those training programs. But the fact is, you can’t eliminate all the risks that your clients face when it comes to experiencing a data breach. That means that having an incident response plan (IR) should be on your list of “must-haves” when it comes to smart cybersecurity.
Reasons to Perform a Security Risk Assessment
Performing a Security Risk Assessment (SRA) is one of the things that Managed Service Providers can utilize as a way to solidify their client relationships and grow their business. Offering it to existing clients is a way of showing your value as well as helping them to strengthen their security posture. You can engage with potential clients by offering to do an assessment for them.
Additionally, businesses that are in healthcare and fall under HIPAA compliance are required to perform an assessment annually, so it can be used as a tool to strengthen and build those relationships. However, doing so with all of your clients should be a part of your plan regardless of the industry that they work within.
Smart Appliances & Cybersecurity
And so, the season starts. Which one is it that we’re referring to? Cyber Monday, Black Friday, Prime Day…all of these sales tend to lean towards exceptional deals on electronics, and today that means the “smartest” of appliances are being purchased and set up in our homes.
By getting the latest and greatest, are we inadvertently putting a spy in our home? Do smart appliances have the ability to hear and see what we are doing?
We Don’t Negotiate
The United States government has been known to take a stand of ‘we don’t negotiate with terrorists’ when it comes to discussions of ransom. Whether this has 100% certainty to it can be argued in more ways than we care to discuss here.
Double Rewards – The Rise in Ransom Payments
The rate at which data breaches are occurring is on the rise, this we know. But another corresponding rate on the rise is the dollar amounts that are being paid out in a ransomware attack. That number has risen by 104% for the fourth quarter of 2019. With an average of $84,000 being paid by victims in the last quarter of 2019, organizations are likely wishing for “the good old days” when they could get by with paying $41,198 just over a year ago. Of course, paying the ransom is not recommended by security experts.
Ransomware Attacks up 105% in Q1 of 2019
Ransomware Is Not Randomware
Gone are the days where you “might know” someone who has, or will, come under attack to a ransomware attack. The skyrocket in cases has come in at a 105% increase according to Beazley Breach Response (BBR) Services team which compared numbers against their 2018 data.
City Takeovers with RobbinHood Ransomware
RobbinHood – the Not so Heroic New Outlaw
Stealing from the rich to give to the poor – in theory, the original Robin Hood had good intentions. There’s a new generation of him and his not so merry men and in this adaption, the takeovers are far less charitable. Using malware instead of arrows, this band of hackers is taking down networks one at a time.
Ransomware is Alive and Well – Here Are 10 Tips to Help Protect Your Organization
Remember ransomware, the malicious software that blocks computer access until a ransom demand is paid? The threat was huge and dominated headlines in the past but seems to have slowed down in recent months. Could the decline in publications citing ransomware as the cause of a data breach or loss of data indicate that cybercriminals have given up on dishing out the malware that locks your system or files until a ransom is paid? The answer is no, not even close.
Ransomware wreaks havoc on towns across the U.S.
Ransomware should be a concern for everyone, from small businesses to large corporations, although the likelihood of suffering from an attack may be dependent on various factors. Cybercriminals often select targets they believe to have the most attractive data and will likely respond quickly to their ransom demands, as well as targets who may have poorly trained employees and overall weak security. Unfortunately, towns across the U.S. are learning the hard way that their municipal systems are just as vulnerable to an attack as any other entity.