A Problem Organizations Cannot Ignore

Did you know ransomware is now the primary security concern for organizations? That was true even before the WannaCry ransomware cyber-attack made global headlines for impacting more than 230,000 organizations in over 150 countries. Not only are the number of attacks up in 2017, but the actual ransom demands (usually money) are up as well. According to an Osterman Research Survey Report published for Malwarebytes in August 2016, the majority of malware included in phishing attempts is currently ransomware. In addition, more than 39 percent of the 540 organizations surveyed (from the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom) had been impacted by a ransomware attack during the previous 12 months.

DIGGING INTO THE ASTOUNDING NUMBERS BEHIND RANSOMWARE

If that statistic shocks you, prepare to have your mind blown…in a Forbes.com blog post from February 2016, it was noted that the Global Response Intelligence Grid from SonicWall recorded 3.8 million ransomware attacks in 2015 which increased to more than 638 million in 2016. Yes, you read that number correctly, and it’s not a typo. 638 million ransomware attacks in 2016—that’s more than 167 times the number of attacks in 2015. Let that sink in…

These astonishing numbers only make up one part of this explosive story. “Though it’s difficult to give a truly accurate total—not everyone hit by ransomware is keen to talk about such incidents—SonicWall’s report estimates that around $209 million in ransoms were paid in the first quarter of 2016 alone.”

Mind blown yet?

DEFENDING YOUR DATA AGAINST RANSOMWARE

For those that fall victim to ransomware attacks, the consequences can be utterly devastating to an organization’s bottom line and embarrassing to their reputation. This is why it’s important to take preventative measures now, rather than waiting until it happens. Although ransomware can be challenging to prevent altogether, having a plan for how to respond and taking the necessary precautions to minimize your odds is really your best defense. You need to focus on two solutions: choosing the right technology and training your people.

HOW WE PROTECT YOUR DATA

With these types of ransomware attacks expected to increase again, you need to consider data protection services that offer extra levels of security for user data while keeping users mobile and collaborating. The Hitachi Content Platform (HCP) portfolio offers organizations scalable solutions that secure their entire data center. It’s one of the most secure object stores in the industry, and its versioning capabilities enrich and complement any existing ransomware strategy. Hitachi Data Ingestor (HDI) extends these capabilities to remote and branch offices, while our mobility platform, Hitachi Content Platform Anywhere (HCP Anywhere) has enterprise file synchronization and sharing (EFSS) capabilities which protect a user’s most frequently used, and consequently, most valuable data, to keep your business running.

If your organization making money hinges on your employees’ ability to access data throughout the day and you haven’t put additional security measures into place, it’s time to start planning for this right now. As ransomware demands continue to increase at explosive rates, the question isn’t “if” it it’s going to happen to you, the question is “when.”

DSN Group designs, implements, and supports converged infrastructure solutions with the best available hardware and software to meet your organization’s needs. DSN Group uses a five step approach to deliver a consistent, reliable, and predictable converged infrastructure solutions. If you’re interested in getting the most out of your virtual, unified data center contact DSN Group at 888.445.2919 for more information.

Does your organization take steps to defend against ransomware?