Ransomware – Surviving the heist
Recently the Locky virus took thousands of users by surprise, encrypting data and propagating throughout organisations networks.
The Locky virus is a new ransomware that encrypts users files and demands bitcoin payments to decrypt them.
Locky ransomware begins its attacks from an infected Windows machine but can spread rapidly throughout the network of organisations.
Experts believe this latest wave of Ransomware attacks are just the beginning of highly sophisticated attacks and will increase in magnitude.
So far authorities have not been able to trace the perpetrators, the extent of the damage is not known as many companies choose not to publicise the fact that they have been compromised.
How does this impact business?
Businesses that have been impacted by the ransomware attacks have two options. Either pay the ransom and get the data decrypted, or lose the affected data.
Reduce the Risks
To minimise the risks and impact of such attacks, organizations should consider the following prevention and Resilience measures:
- Education -Continuous training and awareness campaigns for employees to be wary of suspicious emails, attachments etc.
- Protection – Ensure latest security patches and Anti-Virus programs are current.
- Backups – Make sure you have multiple point in time backups. Run regular restore tests for integrity and verifying Recovery point objectives.
Article written by Mark Beverley, DRSA Data Centre manager.
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