Insurance companies pay off ransomware
Fasten your seat belt. Ransomware may be poised to return as a top scourge for companies, as more and more of them pay up—actually their insurance companies pay up. They try to minimize the cost of recovery.
In this new RSA Conference 2019 Threatpost video, Josh Zelonis, senior analyst at Forrester Research, discusses the next great security threats to enterprises.
According to Zelonis, a new trend of victims paying off the ransoms could reverse the wane in ransomware attacks that has been seen in the last year or so. Here is a snippet from the interview:
Cheaper for insurance companies
Tara Seals: "Before we kick off our video interview here, you had mentioned that you’ve been seeing a trend of companies actually paying the ransomware when they ... Read More
Ransomware Authors Agreed to $400,000
Officials in Jackson County, Georgia, paid $400,000 to cybercriminals last month. That was the extortion fee to get an encryption key for a ransomware infection and regain access to their IT systems. The County hired a cyber-security consultant to negotiate a ransom fee with the hacker group. Jackson County officials have not yet confirmed how hackers breached their network.
The infection forced most of the local government's IT systems offline, with the exception of its website and 911 emergency system.
"Everything we have is down," Sheriff Janis Mangum told StateScoop in an interview. "We are doing our bookings the way we used to do it before computers. We're operating by paper in terms of reports and arrest bookings. We've continued to function. It's just more ... Read More
Ransomware knocked most systems offline
Officials in Jackson County, Georgia, paid $400,000 to cyber-criminals this week to get rid of a ransomware infection and regain access to their IT systems. The County hired cyber-security consultant to negotiate ransom fee with hacker group. Jackson County officials have not yet confirmed how hackers breached their network.
The infection forced most of the local government's IT systems offline, with the exception of its website and 911 emergency system.
"Everything we have is down," Sheriff Janis Mangum told StateScoop in an interview. "We are doing our bookings the way we used to do it before computers. We're operating by paper in terms of reports and arrest bookings. We've continued to function. It's just more difficult."
Jackson County officials notified the FBI and hired a cyber-security consultant. ... Read More
Why Is Ransomware a Threat?
Ransomware is a big problem for businesses because it can lock up important files and demand money to unlock them. These attacks are becoming more common, so it's important to know how to protect your business. See https://youtu.be/PBQsk_yGUJI to learn what gets stolen in a ransomware attack.
Steps to Protect Your Business
Here are some simple steps to help keep your business safe:
Train Employees: Teach your employees how to spot fake emails that might contain viruses. This can help stop ransomware before it starts.
Update Software: Make sure all your computer programs are up to date. This can help protect against known problems that hackers might try to use.
Control Access: Only let people who really need it access important files. This can help stop ... Read More
What Is a Disaster Recovery Plan?
A disaster recovery plan is a plan that helps a business get back on its feet after something bad happens. This could be a natural disaster like a flood or a cyberattack like ransomware. Having a plan means the business can keep working and not lose too much money or important information. You are not isolated. You are a target. See https://youtu.be/JR0eKrQhbV8.
What Should Be in Your Plan?
Here are some important things to include in a disaster recovery plan:
Identify Risks: Think about what kinds of problems your business might face. This could be things like cyberattacks or natural disasters.
Back Up Data: Make sure you have copies of important files stored in a safe place. This way, if something happens, you can ... Read More