SEVEN KEY STEPS TO AVOID RANSOMWARE ATTACKS

 Ransomware attacks are on the rise: 7 key Steps to prevent 

It has been weeks since the ransomware attack on one of India's pride ,a key Medical Institution and only a part of data had been restored. Hospital staff were unable to access the main hospital management tool and whole operations were faced with a digital standstill and were forced to access analog. Patients' history, diagnosis, prognosis, other personal information and every financial transaction done were at the mercy of cyberattackers. The collapse of a renowned hospital made a massive concern to question the security status of our Digital infrastructure and to wonder the futuristic threats that could be faced off.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts access to the computer system it infects, and demands a ransom paid to the creator of the malware in order for the restriction to be removed.

Ransomware typically propagates as a Trojan, entering computers through security vulnerabilities in programs that run on them. The most common way ransomware spreads is, by pretending to be an email from a trusted source, with an attachment or link containing malicious code.

Once activated, ransomware may encrypt files on local drives or network shares accessible from that computer and then demand payment in order to decrypt them. 

Ransomware can also propagate by exploiting security vulnerabilities in programs running on other computers and then using those remote systems as proxies to reach connecting systems; this form of propagation has been called "pivot ransomware".

Seven Key Steps to Avoid Ransomware Attacks:

Several steps can be taken in order to avoid ransomware attacks. Among them, seven steps act as the bulwark of Anti-Ransomware techniques.

They are,

Anti-Ransomware Softwares 

Anti-Ransomware is a software equipped to detect and resolve ransomware infection at an early stage. With the capacity of an endpoint security solution and multi-node detection techniques, the software detects the anomalies with maximum accuracy and effectiveness. Early detection leads to a swift recovery process. 

Isolated Data Backup

Once an organisation gets attacked, data breach is inevitable and the only way to mitigate the situation and to protect the organisation is to restore the data as quickly as possible in order to minimise the effects. The best way to protect data is to maintain back up in multiple places such as in main storage, local disks, and in Cloud storage. These backups should be sufficiently isolated in order to avoid infection of malware from the affected network. 

Updated Software

Outdated legacy systems are the main targets of ransomware attacks. Malware and viruses are continuously evolving that can easily bypass the security features of outdated softwares. Only solution to this problem is regularly updating the working operating system, web browsers, applications, antivirus and anti malware softwares with the latest version available. This can relatively reduce the probability of getting affected by ransomware.

Segmentation of Network

By dividing the network in whole into multiple segments and subnets 

segmentation of networks and granting autonomy to every subnet, Organisations can significantly increase overall Data security.  In the event of a cyberattack, a segmented network can not be affected as a whole and can buy some time for emergency response experts to secure the sensitive data from exploitation

Securing Endpoints 

On most occasions, viruses and malware enter into the network via multiple end points of end-user devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. Securing and strengthening the End-Point security exponentially reduces the probability of a cyber threat. 

Whitelisting of Applications  

File extensions and application extensions are the most utilised paths for malware to enter into any network. After thorough analysis, disseminating a list of White applications or harmless applications for the use of employees and the end users can throttle any attempts of cyber threat.

Security Training

Educating, training and creating awareness among the employees about basic cyber threats and precautionary measures to avoid and to be prepared for an immediate response in case of an attack should be prioritised at the grassroot level. This can reduce the probability of opening malicious email attachments or falling for voice phishing or getting exploited by social engineering.

Cyberattacks can not be predicted. It can only be mitigated and prevented with calculated and meticulous precautionary measures undertaken in every organisation. Prevention is always better than cure. Isn't it?

Implement a tailored defence mechanism with well awarded employees to avoid or, at the least, reduce the effects of any cyber threat. Be Prepared and Be secured!

Thanks and Regards, 
Aadvik - Cybersecurity Services
Penetration Testing Services | Industrial Cyber Security Solutions

What can you do to avoid being a victim of ransomware?

It's inconvenient to be locked out of your home. Locking yourself out of your computer system, on the other hand, can have far more significant effects. Cyber-criminals have recently become fond of locking you out of your computer system and demanding a ransom. A ransomware attack is the term for this type of attack. It's critical to understand what ransomware is, how it spreads, and how to avoid becoming a victim.

The very first thing you should learn is what ransomware is. A ransomware attack encrypts and/or locks down data on a single computer or a network. Ransomware is a type of digital extortion in which a computer system is held hostage.Users are locked out of their systems, with requests that they pay a ransom to regain access and control of their computers. Another technique is to threaten to release sensitive data obtained during the attack. This will have disastrous ramifications not only for the company, but also for the individuals to whom the information pertains.

Ransomware threats have increased in recent months, with ransomware gangs targeting a variety of businesses and other organisations. Critical infrastructure, hospitals, insurance firms, governments, and telecommunications are all targets of ransomware gangs.

What impact do ransomware attacks have on us?

The WannaCry ransomware assault, which affected over 200,000 devices worldwide in 2017, forced hospitals to turn away patients. The cost of ransomware attacks isn't just the absence of data or system control. They can also endanger people's lives. Hundreds of millions of dollars are estimated to have been spent on the WannaCry ransomware campaign.

The Colonial Pipeline, the country's largest refined oil pipeline, had to pay a ransom of $4.4 million to regain control of its services following a recent ransomware attack. However, the ransomware's secondary effects hampered access to fuel and raised prices.

What causes ransomware attacks?

If you work for a bank, a telecommunications firm, a hospital, or a utility company, or if you're a member of the federal government or a local municipal council, you're likely to become a target for hackers. It could be as simple as clicking on a link in an email or a pop-up window on a website. A blunder such as this could result in the downloading and installing of malware onto your computer without your knowledge.

By encrypting the drives, the malware then takes control of your computer system. It then informs the user that they would need to transfer enormous sums of money to regain access to the system. If the computer is connected to a wider network, it has the potential to propagate and infect other machines on the network. This is how ransomware can take control of critical infrastructure computer systems.

How can you avoid being a ransomware victim?

The widespread consensus is that the ransom should not be paid. If you do, there is no certainty that you will regain control of your systems. Europol has launched No More Ransom, a public-private partnership aimed at regaining control of ransomware-affected computers without having to pay a ransom. However, this isn't always an option.

Prevention, prevention, and prevention are the greatest ways to protect yourself and your company from ransomware assaults.

• Updating your software is essential.
• Make sure you're not a victim of phishing scams.
• Downloading software from the internet is not a good idea.
• Make sure you have backups of your data.
• Maintain secure password practises... and more. 

The true challenge is keeping everyone on board with ransomware best practises. IARM, a leading Cybersecurity Company helps the organisations to prevent the attacks and secure the business

When a new security update is issued, it only takes one machine – one user not to update their software, and the entire computer system – the entire organisation – becomes susceptible.There are six topics to cover:

• Malicious attachments in pop-up windows
• Installing Software
• Ransomware
• Attack by Ransomware
• Microsoft Office Pose a Threat

When people are aware of the dangers and implications of ransomware attacks, they are considerably more responsive to learning.

Thanks and Regards, 

Aadvik - Cybersecurity Services

Cyber Incident Response Services | Penetration Testing Services | Industrial Cyber Security Solutions