Summary

Data leaks due to ransomware attacks nearly doubled in 2021. There were wins as some bad actors were either taken down or went under the radar.  Cyber criminals deployed their ransomware in a variety of ways. Two top ways ransomware hit its mark were:

(1) Phishing leading to a malicious link or download.

(2) Hackers exploiting known security holes.

1. Run a good defense.
   • Keep a secure network by restricting permissions to sensitive information and using defenses like firewalls and DNS filtering.
   • Beware phishing schemes of all shapes and sizes.
   • UPDATE and PATCH. A patch only closes a security hole once it is applied.
2. Have a plan. The average time it took a ransomware operator to infect another device on the network was less than 2 hours.
   • Ransomware Response Checklist. Know who to call, and what needs to happen if a breach is detected. Have it in writing so anyone on duty can start things going right if things go wrong.
   • Ransomware detection. Proactive scans and continuous monitoring for unauthorized network access and modifications to minimize the impact of a compromise.
   • Encrypted backups. In case of compromise, backups will get you back up and running. They need to be separated from the network so a breach cannot touch them.

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