COVID-19: Protect Against Ransomware
The COVID-19 outbreak has ground many businesses to a halt, causing shutdowns and forcing staff to work remotely. The Government is predicting the outbreak will erase $34 billion from the economy, and many businesses are already feeling the impact with staff unable to travel, workforce going remote, events being cancelled and the supply chain being impacted. Technology has been the saving grace for many businesses. Virtual conferencing and desktop software is enabling many businesses to keep running during this trying time. However, many organizations didn’t have time to properly plan, so many networks are exposed. You need to ensure critical infrastructure is protected from ransomware attacks like Snake.
Snake aims to extort its victims through encrypting their files, leaving organizations with little option than to pay the hackers to free systems up again. First discovered in January 2020, the ransomware is similar to MegaCortex, which was widely spread in 2019.
The cost of downtime and cybercriminal activity is already incredibly high, and threat actors know this. COVID-19 is causing many to stress and worry about how to stay afloat, both as a business and personally. However, cybercriminals are rejoicing, as they just saw their opportunity window quadruple in size.
The aggressive nature of Snake, as well as other ransomware strand, means it’s essential to have multiple controls in place to detect and prevent it. Basic steps your business can take to give yourself a fighting chance against being a victim of a cyberattack include:
- Email Security: Email encryption, Multi-factor authentication, regularly update passwords
- Mobile device management policy installed and running
- Advanced threat protection policy installed and running
- Network Infrastructure health check: Ensure all correct network segregation and firewall policies are in place
- Patching: All software and devices need patched regardless of the cost and complexity. Running outdated software with bugs is a huge red flag and one a cybercriminal is happy to spot
- Backup & Disaster Recovery software must be installed and current.
- Train your users: incorporate continuous security awareness training for employees so they know signs of what to avoid
Staying connected is key for any business and failure to protect your environment is a sure-fire way to feel the wrath of Snake or other cyberattack. It probably feels like COVID-19 is giving you a hundred other thing to worry about right now, and many of you are overwhelmed with the uncertainty of it all. Let 2W Tech help with your technology landscape and ensuring your business is protected. We are a technology solution provider specializing in manufacturing solutions. 2W Tech is a Microsoft Gold Partner and has IT Consultants on staff that specialize in security solutions.
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