Ransomware Defense Checklist
Ransomware has become an incredibly lucrative business for cyber criminals. The businesses that have been targeted often think that paying the ransom is the easiest way to get their data back, and unfortunately, in some cases that may be the reality. But, the problem is that every time you pay to recover your files, you are directly funding the development of the next generation of ransomware. Because of this, ransomware is evolving at a staggering rate with more sophisticated elements being added all the time. This makes defending your data against ransomware attacks more critical than ever before.
Where do you start?
Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat today and there are easily thousands of different entry points across your organization. Following our security best practice and risk mitigation checklist will walk you through the steps before, during, and after an attack.
Before a ransomware attack: Discover & enforce
Start with security awareness training for your entire team. Then perform regular risk assessments to identify security weaknesses within your organization:
– Reduce the opportunity for incoming attacks by conducting port scans
– Keep software security up to date by implementing regular patch management tactics
– Disable unnecessary services that may be vulnerable
– Provide an additional layer of password security by enforcing strong authentication amongst team members
– Utilize one complete view of your environment with centralized security logging
Once you complete the above items, move on to implementing a security approach that is simple and automated:
– Secure your network
– Manage security and malware by automatically enabling endpoint protection (including mobile devices)
– Scan all incoming emails for viruses and malware by enabling email gateway security
– Prevent attackers from moving through your network by restricting lateral attack movement
– Limit user access rights to the minimum permissions they need to perform their job by enforcing the principle of least privilege
– Regularly backup critical systems and data
– Limit damage and reduce recovery time and costs by practicing incident response
During an attack: Detect, block, and defend
– Activate incident response, which limits damage and reduces recovery time and costs
– Communicate timely and accurate information
– Automatically share new security intelligence
After an attack: Scope, contain, and remediate
– Resume normal business operations
– Collect all evidence
– Analyze forensic data
– Identify the cause of the breach so the most effective solution can be implemented
Conclusion
This list might seem overwhelming at first, but that’s why we’re here to help you navigate through the process. Because ransomware tactics are getting more sophisticated, it’s crucial that you have all your bases covered. If you have questions on any one of these items, or getting an entire plan of attack put in place, contact us today and we can lead you in the right direction.
IT Resource is providing ransomware defense and backup strategies for clients throughout the midwest, including Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette.
