Companies aren’t prepared for what may happen. They’re prepared for what they believe will happen. Staying ahead of the change curve is more important than ever. Just a couple weeks ago, the WannaCry ransomware attack infected over tens of thousands of businesses, hospitals and agencies across 153 countries. The attack by the WannaCry ransomware cryptoworm targeted computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system by encrypting data and demanding ransom payments. Organizations that had not installed Microsoft’s security update were affected by the attack.
What’s ransomware?
Ransomware is a kind of malicious software that, as its name implies, takes a computer hostage and holds it for ransom. In this case, the attackers are asking for at least $300 in bitcoins for each computer affected by the attack.
With ransomware attacks, the malware locks down a target machine, encrypting its data and preventing the owner from accessing it until he or she agrees to pay up.
Should I pay?
Some people who paid the WannaCry ransom regained control of their computers, but it is still encouraged not to pay the ransom if businesses can avoid it because giving in simply encourages attackers to pump out more ransomware, and victims may not get their data back even if they do pay.
Human Error
The worst part of this attack is that it wasn’t a technical error that wreaked all this chaos. It was human error. The challenge of cyber security lies in the daily grind of tending to details and holding oneself and each other accountable for those details. It’s important to educate employees on identifying scams, malicious links and emails that contain viruses. Most ransomware attacks are preventable with proper training and knowledge.
Cyber-attacks will continue to happen. It is imperative that every company has a cybersecurity plan in place that can prevent, protect, and help your business recover from any form of cyber-attack. Vorsite values the importance of cybersecurity and we offer a service that adds protection to your Office 365 platform as well as provide advisory services to support the ongoing security of your email service.
