Why It’s Time To Upgrade Your Ransomware Action Plan

With the digitalization of the world, as the technical applications increase, so increases the risks of privacy breaches and data intrusion. Given, the frequency of ransomware has amplified along with its repercussions. For instance, the threats of leaking your data in case one refuses to pay the ransom amount. Also known as double extortion. A reason why most companies are allocating a large section of their budget for cybersecurity technologies and in-house response teams. Ransomware might not sound like something new to you, but its advancement and high level of data breach backdoors are. Demanding you to apply a layered approach consisting of proactive policies and response plans.

Take Proactive Preventive Measures

The best proactive measure an organization can do is to educate and train its employees about the various strains and types of ransomware. Train your employees to keep your data safe. This is pivotal , because even if you pay a ransom to the hacktivists, there are chances that they may not unlock your device or files. The best proactive measure to fight back such attacks is to educate your employees about the ways to nullify the ransomware distribution techniques. So, your employees should be able to avoid phishing emails, malicious social media links, Malvertising tactics, and Traffic distribution techniques to get access to your data.

1. Whitelisting And Filtered Access

Train the workers to restrain application installation in their devices. This can be done by a centrally controlled whitelist. Moreover, increasing the browser security, web filtering, and removal of vulnerable browser plug-ins is essential. Disabling macros on word processing is another such technique. 

1. Arrange Drills And Test

Transferring information is useless unless its purpose of transforming is not fulfilled. Therefore, along with arranging training sessions, organize drills to test if the employees are executing your told policies to avoid phishing or not. Use spam protection and endpoint protection technology to block fraudulent emails and redirection towards malicious websites.

Utilize Up-To-Date Technologies

1. Endpoint Protection

Installation of antivirus has been used as a typical preventive measure for ransomware attacks. But these antivirus tools are limited in their actions to fight the new strains of ransomware. There is a need for upgrading. Up-level your security policy by downloading next-generation antivirus (NGAV). NGAV protects against attacks like WannaCry and zero-day malware. It protects obfuscated ransomware like WannaCry, or zero-day. Moreover, these are beneficial as they provide device firewalls and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) capabilities that block the attacks from occurring in the first place. 

1.  Patch Management

In business, as we update our services according to the new customer demands, we need to upgrade our security measures and operating systems. Download all the patches necessary to upgrade your computer system.

1. Compromise Assessment

Consistent assessment to ensure the security of your network system, and data safety is potent. This will assess your present or past data intrusions and will pinpoint risk factors and vulnerabilities in your security structure. Allowing you to remediate them quickly.

Response Plan For Ransomware Removal

In case a ransomware attack hits your company, getting professional help from an expert ransomware removal team is the primary task to do. However, here we have a response plan for your organization to lessen your data leakage and financial loss.

• Disconnect – Search for the devices that have been infected, disconnect others from them and lock the shared data to prevent further distribution of the virus.
• Scrutinize – Deeply analyze the situation. Find the utilized backdoors, look for the strain of ransomware that attacked you, and see if paying the ransom is suitable for your company or not. Restore– Receiver your data from the backups created by your teams.
• Reinforce –After you decrypt your data, call for a meeting and recall all the events to search for the weaknesses that cost you this much. Learn from the mistake to prevent any recurrence.
• Evaluate – Evaluate the whole incidence of a ransomware attack, the response policy of your team and build a stronger future policy to fight such data breaching attacks.