Here’s how it works: A message appears onscreen demanding a hefty payment to restore system functionality. Once ransomware takes hold of a single computer or entire network, users can no longer access their computers or the information stored there. Failure to pay often results in data destruction.
While ransomware continues to serve as a popular, effective tool for cybercriminals, it’s impossible to state with certainty how frequently ransomware is used. The reason:
It is estimated that in 2019, paid ransom amounts exceeded $7.5 billion in the United States.11 Cybersecurity analysts forecast that by the year 2021 a new business will be victimized by ransomware every eleven seconds.12
Three of the most commonly used methods for introducing a breach to a network are based in phishing techniques. They include emails, attachments and links, especially those that incorporate counterfeit or “spoofed” URLs. Analysts note that phishing is a source of more than 80 percent of all reported security hacks.13
Chances are good that once a breach vector is introduced into your work environment, you or anyone with online access will click on a fateful link, open an infected attachment or trigger ransomware. Here’s how to identify these phishing techniques ande some simple tips to avoid initiating a security catastrophe:
While a comprehensive listing of ways to avoid a cyber attack is beyond this paper’s scope, understanding the security implications of emails, attachments and URLs is a great place to start. In addition, consider adding the following steps to your security protocol: