Whether you're an IT professional or an internet user, this threat will surely keep you up at night. This increasingly popular cyberattack can deal a body blow to any business. From business disruption to the recovery process, ransomware is a nightmare.

To figure out the best way to protect your systems and data from bad actors using ransomware, it’s important to understand why it’s a big deal and how it infects your systems to figure out how you can fight back and keep it from damaging your business.

First, take a look at the facts about ransomware that you need to read to get up to speed, because it’s one cybersecurity test that you don’t want to fail.

How Big of a Threat is Ransomware?

Ransomware is extremely common, growing it a top cybersecurity concern since 2020. Organizations need to be aware of the danger. They should be ready against it with a cybersecurity plan in place for the future that’s ready to handle this growing threat.

• FBI reported a 300% increase in cybercrimes like ransomware since
• Ransomware attacks have increased over 97 percent in the past two years.
• A new cyberattack is attempted every 39 seconds.
• 51% of businesses have been impacted by ransomware in the last year.

How can Ransomware Contaminate my Systems?

To defend against ransomware, you need to understand where it comes from, how it reaches you, and how it infects your systems. Ransomware software is easily available on the Dark Web. It’s so easy to use that you don’t need to be a sophisticated hacker to deploy successful attacks.

• 65% of ransomware infections are delivered via phishing.
• 85% of ransomware targets Windows systems.
• 94% of ransomware-related phishing emails use malicious file attachments as the payload or infection source.
• 60% of the information available on the Dark Web could potentially harm enterprises through hacking, spear phishing, and ransomware attacks.
• 75% of companies infected with ransomware were running up-to-date endpoint protection.

What Happens If We’re Infected with Ransomware?

One ransomware hit is a cybersecurity disaster that can cripple your business. Recovery operations like restoring your data and systems through backups are expensive, as are complications like regulatory headaches, harm to business relationships, damaged client confidence, and downtime. If you pay the ransom it’s a huge expense, and there’s no guarantee that the cybercriminals didn’t copy or sell your data anyway.

• 85% of IT professionals report ransomware as the #1 threat to businesses.
• One in five SMBs report that they have fallen victim to a ransomware attack.
• The cost of downtime is on average 23 times greater than the ransom amount
• The average ransom demand is $5,900 compared to the average cost of downtime at $141,000.
• 34% of businesses hit with ransomware took a week or more to regain access to their data

With all the data we have provided, you should know by now that taking ransomware lightly is a big mistake. Every company must take this threat seriously and put strong protections in place to avoid falling victim to a ransomware attack. But ransomware is not a problem without solutions. Paul General, CEO/Cybersecurity Specialist, and the rest of his team at General Technologies are providing various solutions to businesses in need of cybersecurity programs, peace of mind, and the protection they need from different cyberattacks.

Plan your cyber strategy now! Contact us today.

The post Ransomware… A Cyberthreat That Will Keep You Up At Night appeared first on General Computer Consulting, LLC.

Cybercriminals are making lots of money from the damage they've been doing to your network. The money a ransomware operation travels all over the dark web. Major cybercrime gangs that claim responsibility for most ransomware attacks aren’t the only players that get paid generously. Ransomware money also trickles down to a community of affiliates, specialists, and individuals that support the major gangs – and everyone has a good chance of walking away with a notable profit.

Typically, when an attack is successful, perpetrators use these websites to claim responsibility for the attack, display a sample of the stolen data and announce the ransom demand.

One of the biggest goals of any cybercriminal is to obtain credentials that allow them to penetrate systems, steal data, and deploy ransomware. The more powerful the credential, the deeper into an organization a cybercrime gang can slip, enabling them to do catastrophic damage. Sometimes, that credential can also empower cybercriminals to penetrate a business partner’s network, creating a devastating ripple effect.

Tips to help protect yourself from cyberattacks:

Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

This is the single most powerful tool in a company’s arsenal to keep unwanted visitors out of their systems and data, stopping 99% of password-based cybercrime cold.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Create a stronger defense by lowering the number of access points to the heart of businesses. Giving every user their own personalized launch pad to access business applications not only enables techs to easily add and remove permissions.

Automated Password Resets

Immediate, automated password resets make it easy for employees to quickly change a password themselves whether they believe that it’s been compromised or if they’ve just forgotten it.

Secure Shared Password Vaults

Store especially powerful passwords, like privileged credentials and essential hardware passwords, in a secure vault that every tech can access, reducing the time it takes to track down a much-needed password to adjust permissions or perform defensive actions in case of trouble.

Ransomware devastates the companies that fall prey to it. Thriving dark web data markets and a wide array of eager freelancers make running a ransomware operation both easy and profitable, ensuring that it won’t go out of fashion anytime soon. The sad truth is that piloting a successful ransomware attack is all too easy for cybercriminals in a world where many businesses haven’t taken action to reduce their attack surface.

Paul General, CEO, and Cybersecurity Specialist can help reduce the risk of a disastrous encounter with ransomware through the strength of our digital risk protection platform. Contact one of our solutions experts and let’s start putting affordable, effective cybersecurity protection in place to stop threats, like ransomware, in their tracks.

Schedule your cybersecurity strategy today!

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The post RANSOMWARE 101… What You Need To Know appeared first on General Computer Consulting, LLC.

In cybercrime today, ransomware is the star of the show. A complex web of influences and an unexpected wealth of opportunity has given cybercriminals a golden ticket to profit from ransomware attacks – and they’re using this to their advantage.

Meet the Players:

• Crypto Ransomware : Crypto ransomware encrypts data, like files on a computer, making it inaccessible. Cybercriminals then offer to sell the victim the decryption key. This type of ransomware does not impact the machines it is used on, just the data.
• Locker Ransomware: Locker ransomware makes devices, like computers or machinery, unusable. Cybercriminals will offer to unlock the affected devices on payment of the ransom. This type of ransomware is typically used in infrastructure attacks or attacks against manufacturing targets.
• SCAREWARE: Scareware makes the users freak out by prompting a message which will trick them into downloading malware. The attackers often use a pop-up or a false button, displaying messages such as "Your PC is slow. Speed up now.", or "Attackers can see your IP, Protect it Now."
• LEAKWARE:In Leakware, attackers will threaten the users that their information will be released in public domains. Their main targets are banks and nationalized institutions that holds confidential or sensitive data.
• RANSOMWARE As a SERVICE (RaaS): RaaS is where attackers embrace RaaS-like business model to carry execute ransomware attacks.

Ransomware Sub-types:

1. Double Extortion: In a double-extortion ransomware attack, cybercriminals deploy ransomware that creates two adverse effects for the victim — encrypting data and locking machines at the same time. The gang then demands payment to unlock machines and decrypt data.
2. Triple Extortion: This up-and-coming variety of ransomware causes immense trouble for the victims and has the potential to earn cybercriminals high profits. Going one step further than a double-extortion attack, this variety produces three adverse effects for its target.

Protecting businesses from cybercriminals must be a top goal of any security plan. One of the best ways to do that is by increasing cybersecurity awareness with a powerful training solution. Paul General, CEO/Cybersecurity Specialist is heading our cybersecurity team to provide and reduce the threat from the attackers.

By allowing our team of professionals to conduct a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment on your business, we can identify current risks or threats to your information systems and take action before anything happens.

Plan your cybersecurity strategy: CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN MORE!

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For vulnerable companies who have their guards down, it is no secret that cybercriminals can and will find a gateway to cause damage. In most modern-day cyberattacks, the culprit is none other than ransomware.

Ransomware is the star of today's cybersecurity show. Major destruction can begin with little action, such as when an employee clicks links in phishing emails and inputs company information. The effects of ransomware on an organization can vary from minor disruptions in service to a full shutdown. Ultimately, the result depends on their level of cyber resilience and incident response planning.

Facts about the impact of ransomware:

• Companies impacted by ransomware lost an average of six working days.
• An estimated 37% of companies experienced downtime that lasted one week or more.
• About 60% of companies that suffer a cyberattack like ransomware go out of business.

To pay or not to pay?

Once hackers gets in to your network they will lock you out and ask for a payment to regain access to your system. But the big question now is - should you pay the ransom?

Paying the ransom may seem like the easiest way to get back to normal operations, and many companies are choosing to go this route. Looking at the bigger picture, paying the ransom is a bad idea due to the following reasons:

• Ransom payments are increasinglyand are unlikely to be covered by cyber insurance.
• Paying the ransom makes no guarantees that stolen data won’t be sold or copied.
• Payment does not ensure that the cybercrime gang won’t leave a backdoor in the systems
• Only 1 out of 3 organizations that paid a ransom got what they were promised.
• It’s illegal in many regions.

Don't let cybercriminals win...

One goal of every cybercriminal is to obtain credentials that will allow them to penetrate systems, steal data, and deploy ransomware. Paul General, CEO, and Cybersecurity Specialist, encourages all businesses to invest in cybersecurity risk assessments, which will give your company a closer look into their vulnerabilities, security gaps, and incoming threats.

Let’s get your assessment scheduled! CONTACT US TODAY!

The post The Impact of Ransomware appeared first on General Computer Consulting, LLC.

As we all know, hackers and other cybercriminals are becoming wiser and have lots of tricks that make unprotected people fall victim. In our previous article, we have shared with you the description of ransomware.

With that, Ransomware is a type of cyber threat wherein the hacker will ask for money in exchange for the information they got from you.

Today, we give you some recommendations that you need when in a situation of a ransomware attack.

1. Keep your cool

          Understandably, most of the time when we get into a difficult situation, we tend to panic. The first thing we must learn is to relax and keep our cool. The more we panic, the less we can think clearly. When you suspect a ransomware attack, take a deep breath, gather your thoughts, and start checking your network. Do not jump to conclusions. Also, keep in mind that paying the ransom amount doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to retrieve your lost data.

2. Turn off and disconnect your equipment

          When you suspect a ransomware attack, immediately disconnect your equipment and turn it off. Ransomware is like a contagious disease that can spread in an instant. Disconnecting your equipment such as your router, computer, and WiFi might decrease the chance of spreading the damage.

3. Gather and check the damage

          This is the hardest part you must undergo. If you’re not a tech-savvy person, it would be in your interest to seek assistance from an IT expert to figure out what information was taken in the attack. Once this is determined an IT expert can recommend the next step you should take to protect what you have lost.

4. Retrieve your data

          Once you or your IT expert have assessed the damage from the attack you may slowly retrieve the stolen data back to your network. This would consist of the retrieval of your files, passwords, websites, and /or infected computers. By having a disaster recovery plan before the attack you would make this step much simpler with a backup.

5. Remove the virus

          The virus must be removed before reactivating your network. You must trace down each piece of your equipment that has been infected so you can isolate it and provide proper repair.

6. Review and strengthen your security measures

          After getting attacked by ransomware, know exactly where it came from. Review your security measures and strengthen them by adding software or a device that will expand and provide extensive security within your network.

SUMMARY:

          Losing data due to a ransomware attack is one of the most difficult things that may happen to your business. But with the proper knowledge and a backup system your business to rise again in no time. Always keep in mind that having tight network security will give a low percentage of cybercriminals to penetrate your network system. Giving attention to your security measures can save your business from cyber-attacks.

General Technologies can offer you a variety of cybersecurity packages to suit your business needs. Reach out to us and we will be more than happy to set up a meeting to discuss your needs.

Contact us at (412) 990-1414 or send us an email to info@gcchelp.com.

“We do I.T. so you don’t have to”

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Ransomware? What is it and why you should be aware of it?

To those “techy” people, they can simply describe Ransomware as the “menace” in the world of computers, a “villain” in the group of superheroes, or an “illness” that can overtake a healthy body. In these simple terms, I am sure you’re able to get a hint of what Ransomware is.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is described by I.T. experts as the “kidnapper” in the World Wide Web. This usually comes in the form of malicious software or attachments that encrypt documents, data, or files. Ransomware attacks are not just to steal personal identification, data, and/or credentials but, what they often do is to place your information to their “hostage” and they will ask for monetary demand in return, that’s why it is called RANSOMWARE. Once you don’t meet their monetary demand, the worst thing is most likely to happen.

Where Ransomware does often attack?

In most cases, ransomware attacks came from seemingly innocent or harmless apps or software, email attachments, malicious websites, or simply in-file attachments.

How to know if you have been attacked?

There’s only one way to know if malware has attacked you; on your display screen, you will see a flash message showing the ransom amount.

Two main types of Ransomware

According to Kaspersky, the two main types of ransomware are:

1. Locker – Locker programs are quite an easy attack. Attackers will just lock your computer’s functions or your access to the Internet.

2. Crypto – Crypto type of attack is when the attackers encrypt your files or documents and demand a payment as the ransom to release your files.

How to prevent a Ransomware attack?

The first prevention is not opening email attachments you are not sure of where it came from. If you think you are not familiar with the sender or something suspicious in the email message “DO NOT OPEN IT”. Also, refrain from visiting malicious websites or downloading malicious apps and software.

Install an anti-malware program or other anti-virus software that can detect ransomware.

Back up your files, and make it a practice! Use an external hard drive to save or store your files. In this way, once your files get attacked, you need not worry since you have a backup.

In business, add security measures to your network that will easily detect or block a ransomware attack. Invest in the right devices that will help you prevent this kind of issue.

SUMMARY:

Security of your data and files is very important. With the increasing growth of hackers in the World Wide Web, we should always be one step away from them. We should be wise enough to use our computers and the internet so us not become a victim. Attackers are just waiting for the right time to harm you, don’t give them a slight chance to get into you. Install the necessary security and protection software to prevent any kind of attack.

Should you need assistance with the security of your network, General Technologies has different programs that you can choose from. We can mix and match the program that is suitable for your needs.

We are just one call or email away. Contact us directly for immediate assistance.

Our office number is (412) 990-1414 or you can simply send us an email at info@gcchelp.com.

“We do I.T. so you don’t have to”

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