Stopping A Cyberattack In Its Tracks Is The Best Way Of Preventing Ransomware
If there is one thing that catches people’s attention, it is hitting them where their wallets are. The recent ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline is no exception. Preventing ransomware has been on a lot people’s minds lately. With the country’s largest fuel pipeline down, gas shortages and price hikes were reported across the nation. Although the supply crunch had more to do with panicked buyers than actual supply problems, the impact was felt all over.
Darkside, a group singled out by the FBI as the cyberattackers who wreaked havoc upon Colonial Pipeline, was not really aiming at America’s infrastructure. It appears to be that the group was motivated purely by financial gain. Cybersecurity experts point to haphazard internal security practices on behalf of the corporation which allowed this common type of cyber attack to have the impact that it did.
The very public nature of the Colonial Pipeline attack should be a wake-up call to every company to ensure they are doing their best to prevent a ransomware attack before it even becomes an issue. So how do you ensure your company’s internal security is up to snuff to prevent a cyber attack? There are some things you can do to help prevent an attack in the first place.
Steps To Stop A Ransomware Attack Before It Happens
- Backup, Backup, Backup – a ransomware attack can only be successful if your data is truly being held for ransom. With a proper backup system in place, you will never be at the mercy of a cyber attacker intent on preventing access to your company’s sensitive data.
- DO NOT CLICK THE LINK – Cybersecurity education is a strong defense against the most common delivery method of any malware: phishing. While it is impossible to stop the inclination to Click The Link, education at your workplace is essential to raise awareness about attacks and help individual users be more alert to suspicious emails.
- Utilize and enforce strong user authentication – multi-factor authentication, strong password policies, and phishing awareness education informing employees of how phishing attempts for their personal information can impact network security are all part of a strong network and digital protection policy.
- Keep computers up-to-date – ensure all networked computers are kept current with security patches. There have been a number of instances where a security patch has been widely available, but the malware is still allowed to attack because organizations do not make patches a priority.
Preventing Ransomware Is Our Specialty
Ransomware isn’t going anywhere and in fact seems like part of the new normal in malware. It is best to build a strong defense BEFORE a ransomware attack occurs to eliminate the impact of an attack. To ensure your organization is set up to prevent a cyberattack, call MetroTech Managed IT Services to schedule a free security analysis of your business at (727) 230-0332 or contact us on our website here.