Ransomware Still on the Rise
Just this week, McAfee Labs released a report on the cyberthreat landscape during the first quarter of 2019. Unfortunately, a terrifying 118% growth in new ransomware samples was recorded, along with innovative changes in the codes and tactics used to execute it. This year is showing Phishing campaigns are still gaining in popularity, while new attacks are targeting exposed remote access points like Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). RDP credentials can be cracked through a brute-force attack or bought in the cyber-criminal underground and then used to gain admin privileges, granting full rights to distribute and execute malware on corporate networks.
In the first three months of the year a staggering 504 new threats per minute were observed by researchers. Instances of new coin-mining malware increased by 29% and new PowerShell malware increased by 460%. During the same period, more than 2.2 billion stolen account credentials were made available on the cyber-criminal underground. 2/3 of ransomware attacks targeted local and state government agencies. Do you know what that means, it means if the government is not safe, no one is.
Not only is the number of ransomware attacks on the rise, but so is the number of ransoms being paid. Paying ransoms supports cybercriminal businesses and perpetuates attacks. You are feeding money back into the beast and giving them more opportunities to create new attack methods. The best prevention is to ensure you have the proper security solutions in place and that you partner with an IT Consulting firm that has your back, all the time. 2W Tech is a full-service IT Consulting firm that specializes in manufacturing solutions. Security is one of our areas of expertise, so give a call today to learn more.
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Cybersecurity Still Affecting Manufacturers in a Major Way