Research has suggested that almost all ransomware attackers (93% to be precise) are also targeting backups of company data.
For cybercriminals, the move makes sense, as it vastly increases the likelihood that businesses will pay up.
In three-quarters of attacks, this tactic is successful, the research found, preventing victims from recovering at least some of their data. In a third of cases (39%), no data was recoverable.
The research by backup specialist Veeam also found that 80% of companies paid the ransom, in many cases going directly against their own ‘do-not-pay’ policies.
The research, based on 1,200 organisations and nearly 3,000 cyber attacks is among the largest surveys of its kind.
So how can organisations respond?
Dealing with ransomware
Prevention is obviously the best cure when it comes to ransomware, but ensuring that your backups are up-to-date (and ideally that you have multiple different backup solutions and storage locations) is also essential.
Ideally, have offline backups that are separate from your system, either in a different place, or better still in a different building, or in a cloud service (or both). Having multiple copies of your files will help (although don’t, for example, have these located in the same cloud service).
Ideally, ensure that you always have at least one backup offline, and connect these to live systems as rarely as possible. With cloud storage, ensure you’re using effective identity management to keep your files safe.
Ransomware is a huge, and growing, challenge for companies in Britain and around the world.
A report by CyberEdge suggested that almost three-quarters (73%) of British businesses have been targeted in 2022, a rise of 15% of the previous year.
A growing threat
Ransomware attacks can have devastating effects on a business (and on the clients and customers of that business).
At Stratia Cyber, we understand that every organisation has different goals and resources when it comes to cybersecurity.
Please get in touch if you’d like to book a no-obligation discussion with one of our experienced cyber security consultants.