Ransomware continues to be one of the leading forms of cybercrime, with an alarming 59% of organizations falling victim to such schemes in the previous year. There's never been a more critical time than now to invest in cybersecurity, particularly the tools to help thwart ransomware attacks. This article dives into the best ways of understanding and preventing such threats so you can ensure long-term business continuity.
Assess your risks
The first thing you should do is identify your system vulnerabilities and the potential impact of ransomware attacks on your organization. Potential weaknesses in your infrastructure could be anything from unpatched software and misconfigured security settings to outdated network protection and lack of security awareness.
You should also perform a business impact analysis, which helps pinpoint the most crucial aspects of your business operations, such as key processes and dependencies. By doing this, you can then prioritize your response efforts and allocate resources effectively to prevent and address a ransomware attack.
Invest in cybersecurity training
Having comprehensive cybersecurity training ensures that each staff member pulls their weight in defending against ransomware. Such training should include education on the dangers of phishing emails, a common vector for ransomware infections. Train employees to recognize phishing attempts and malicious email characteristics, such as spoofed domains, strange links and attachments, and messages that create a sense of urgency.
What's more, employees should uphold cybersecurity best practices, such as strong password management, device security, and safe web browsing habits. You should also perform regular security exercises that test your staff's knowledge in incident response protocols, which could also help pinpoint areas for improvement.
Limit administrative privileges
Administrative privileges give users access to critical system functions and sensitive data. By restricting these, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized access and mitigate the impact of ransomware incidents.
It's important to grant such privileges to only the users who absolutely need them and to regularly review and update these user access permissions. Additionally, consider implementing security measures such as multifactor authentication and encryption to prevent unauthorized access.
Implement detection and response tools
Hire a managed services provider (MSP) that offers reliable endpoint detection and response solutions with 24/7/365 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring. With an MSP, you’ll be notified as soon as there is a sign of a ransomware attack (e.g., mass encryption of files), so you can take immediate action to contain and prevent them.
Top MSPs will even offer 24/7 security operation center services, where experts will investigate alerts, triage incidents, and coordinate response efforts to minimize the impact of ransomware incidents on your operations.
Ensure proper backup strategies
Backups are crucial in mitigating the threat of data loss and ransomware attacks. Automating this can make the process easier and more efficient, ensuring copies of your data are continuously created and stored in secure storage locations. It's important to store backups off site in an “air-gapped” manner so your backup data is safe if your organization was to suffer a ransomware attack.
You should also take the time to regularly perform backup tests, verifying that these copies are complete, accurate, and recoverable. This will help in identifying any issues or shortcomings in the backup process, allowing you to make adjustments as necessary.
Make sure you have cyber insurance
Cyber insurance provides financial protection against the costs associated with ransomware attacks, including ransom payments, legal fees, data recovery expenses, and business disruption costs. Investing in this could help transfer some of these financial risks to the insurance provider, minimizing the potential impact of ransomware on your bottom line.
Be sure to carefully review the provider's policy details to ensure they have adequate protection against ransomware threats, assessing factors such as their deductibles, coverage limits, exclusions, and any specific requirements or conditions that may apply.
Need to enhance your data protection? Our team of experts at Fidelis, Inc. are ready to guide you through all your cybersecurity needs, including data encryption, backup and disaster recovery, security training, and more. Keep those ransomware threats at bay — schedule a consultation today
