By BECKY RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
Ransomware attacks continue to be an issue, here are some of the major news stories just from the past week:
…All 7-11 stores in Denmark were closed due to a ransomware attack;
…Multiple new strains of ransomware were discovered;
…It was announced that the UK’s NHS will take over a month to recover from its latest ransomware attack;
…Ista International, a multinational data management company, had all systems taken offline by a ransomware attack;
…Cisco was attacked by the Yanluowang ransomware group – over 2.8 GB of data was allegedly stolen;
…US State Department announced a $10 million reward for any information on the Conti ransomware gang;
…And more!
Yes, ransomware continues to be a huge headache for businesses both large and small, as well as governments, schools, etc. What is ransomware? Ransomware is a type of cyber-attack, using malicious software, designed to deny access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. Usually, they will also threaten to release the data they have stolen to the public.
In 2021 US govt officials formed the Ransomware Task Force to help address ransomware attacks. They just released a blueprint for small and large businesses, available here:
This report is meant to give small and medium sized businesses a checklist of step to prepare, defend, and recover from ransomware attacks, utilizing data about ransomware attacks and what strategies have worked in the past.
There has been some recent debate as to whether ransomware attacks have been decreasing. Cyber criminals used to aim ransomware attacks more towards larger businesses, “big game” hunting, but recent trends have been towards small and medium businesses as well. Attacks on smaller businesses are less likely to draw attention.
According to the Ransomware Taskforce, businesses with fewer than 500 employees were hit by 70 percent of the attacks in 2021. The blueprint from the Ransomware Task Force is meant to provide guidance to assist these smaller businesses.
A summary of the blueprint:
- Ransomware defense begins with knowing what is on your network;
- Once you know your network, you can begin the process of protecting it. This can include employee training, firewalls, tiered access, and more;
- Understanding the ransomware landscape, and what threats are out there, and how they attack;
- Make sure to have anti-virus software, and always have backups;
- MFA can be a big help in many areas, including network defense; and
- Consider cyber insurance.
Ransomware attacks can be costly, and complex to defend against. If you own a small to medium business, make sure you are aware of the threats and working on ways to mitigate them. Use free publicly available resources to help build your program and invest in safeguards. Ransomware attacks can be extremely costly to recover from. The cost of a cyber attack on a small business can range from thousands to hundreds of thousands, depending on the attack.
Ransomware is not going away anytime soon, stay aware and protect your business from attacks.
Editor’s note: Becky Rutherford works in information technology at Los Alamos National Laboratory.