In the last three years ransomware attacks by malicious actors across the globe have surged. As organizations moved to remote settings vulnerable gaps were left behind in the front lines of cyber defense. These vulnerabilities have been exploited by cyber criminals with no regard for industry or organization size.
In its simplest terms, ransomware is; “A type of malware that prevents you from accessing computer files, systems, or networks and demands you pay a ransom for their return.” (FBI.gov). Victims of ransomware are left with very few choices; pay the ransom, restore data from your backups – if you have them, or hope your cybersecurity team has an ability to decrypt.
Ransomware infections can be caused by a multitude of ways; phishing emails, social engineering, software flaws, cracked passwords and many other vulnerabilities most organizations are not able to fully combat. Unfortunately, there is no exact science or how-to guide on how to avoid the numerous ways malicious actors look to gain access to an organizations data or systems. However, there are important steps many organizations can take to be prepared for any type of cyber security incident.
First and foremost it is a matter of having the right team in place. While most internal IT teams have the skillset and wherewithal to be prepared for cybersecurity incidents it is typically not the core competency of both your IT team and your organization. For that we suggest partnering with the right team to keep your users secure.
Here are some best practices provided by the ISCorp Security & Operations team to help keep your organization safe from malicious actors going after your data.
- Maintain backups – make it a practice of having readily available frequent back ups of your data.
- Adhere to specific policies that all members of your organization understand and are aware of. From suspicious email notifications to continuous training, as cyber security attacks advance keep your teams up to date on what to be on the look out for.
- Keep systems up-to-date – Operating systems, applications and softwares are all regularly updated based off previous version vulnerabilities. Staying up to date can help you stay ahead of attacks.
- Run regular security trainings that service as practice for your associates.
- Never open email attachments from unknown or untrusted senders.
- Always make sure that any partners or outsiders who have access to your data have proper security training and are taking security seriously.
- Be aware. Be secure.
