Ransomware is an advanced form of cyberattack, and one of the biggest threats that security teams around the world are facing. Ransomware is an escalating, increasingly sophisticated threat—and no one seems to be immune. Although ransomware initially targeted home users, it is spreading quickly into the enterprise. Recent reports from security firms such as Kaspersky, Norton, and FSecure offer a scary view of how ransomware attacks are evolving, spinning off new variants and upping the ante as hackers go after lucrative targets like universities and hospitals.
To prevent a ransomware attack, experts say IT and information security leaders should do the following:
- Keep clear inventories of all your digital assets and their locations so cyber criminals do not attack a system you are unaware of.
- Keep all software up to date, including operating systems and applications.
- Back up all information every day, including information on employee devices, so you can restore encrypted data if attacked.
- Back up all information to a secure offsite location.
- Segment your network: Don’t place all data on one file share accessed by everyone in the company.
- Train staff on cybersecurity practices, emphasizing that they should not open attachments or links from unknown sources.
- Develop a communication strategy to inform employees if a virus reaches the company network.
- Before an attack happens, work with your board to determine whether your company will plan to pay a ransom or launch an investigation.
- Perform a threat analysis in communication with vendors to go over cybersecurity throughout the lifecycle of a particular device or application.
- Instruct information security teams to perform penetration testing to find any vulnerabilities.
