https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Master Agents
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • MSSP Insider
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Apply Now
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Channel Educational Series
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
    • Channel Convergence
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Content Resources
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Master Agents
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • MSSP Insider
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Apply Now
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Channel Educational Series
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
    • Channel Convergence
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Content Resources
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Security


Hacker with money

Ransomware & Phishing: 5 Steps to Keep Customers Off the Hook

  • Written by Channel
  • August 1, 2016
There’s a link between increasingly sophisticated phishing schemes and the ransomware epidemic.

Kim Ann KingBy Kim Ann King

Malware is growing more sophisticated and complex, which in turn is creating more IT and business insecurity. For example, in the past, employee education about the dangers of opening emails from unfamiliar sources and clicking external links went a long way toward mitigating potential problems. And if someone did click on a link, the malware typically would encrypt only the files on the user’s desktop.

Now, ransomware is locking down entire IT infrastructures, making whole networks completely unusable. The recent spate of attacks on hospitals is an indication of just how far, and how low, malicious hackers will go. In March of this year alone, there were at least a dozen hospitals or hospital chains afflicted with ransomware, leading some facilities to declare emergencies and turn away patients because hospital personnel were unable to access records.{ad}

This uptick in ransomware even led to a rare joint cyber alert from the U.S. and Canadian governments, warning businesses and organizations, and recommending that they not pay the demanded ransom because there is no way to guarantee cyber criminals will release the data once they receive payment, which is usually demanded in largely untraceable bitcoin.

Let’s quickly look at why this is such a problem.

First, there are very few barriers to starting a ransomware business. The start-up costs are minimal, and attackers are able to write their own malicious code or even buy “ransomware-as-a-service” on the black market. With minimal up-front investment required, there is little risk to cyber thieves, yet the returns are potentially massive if they’re successful at attacking lucrative targets. According to an FBI official quoted in a CNBC article, in 2015 there was a reported loss of more than $24 million as a result of ransomware attacks.

In that same article, Matt Devost, CEO of FusionX, a unit of Accenture, states that the “most lucrative potential victims have a specific set of characteristics. They will typically hold critical information and infrastructure, have weak and vulnerable security programs that can easily be exploited, and have the ability to pay the ransom. Small- to medium-size U.S. hospitals have proven to be a sweet spot in ransomware in 2016 because they often have a poor security infrastructure in place and are willing to pay to retrieve patient data, get back online quickly, and prevent reputational damage.”

Second, phishing schemes are way too successful. Like malware-based ransomware, phishing is becoming more sophisticated all the time. In April, the FBI warned of a dramatic increase in email scams targeting businesses. Criminals are no longer simply sending poorly written fraudulent emails that employees can easily distinguish from legitimate messages. Instead, they are employing “spear phishing” techniques that involve researching the email recipient, perhaps by looking at his or her social media accounts, and then using this knowledge to customize the scam email to make it more plausible.

The FBI says a frequent scam is for criminals to assume the identity of …

{vpipagebreak}

… an executive, reputable business or even a government agency in an email to an employee with a seemingly reasonable request to send money. This is where malware, ransomware and phishing come together: Phishing attacks often give criminals entry into IT systems, which then allows malware and ransomware to spread and lock down the entire IT infrastructure. 

The bottom line is this: Everyone is at risk — government agencies, health-care organizations, small-to-midsize businesses, nonprofits, and large enterprises. Everyone. Although authorities tell businesses not to pay ransoms, many do out of desperation, making these attacks even more attractive.

The best approach in the fight against ransomware is to help customers prepare ahead of time, rather than trying to clean up the mess after it happens.

Ready, Set, Defend

  • Start with a disaster recovery plan. Customers need a strategy to deal with the potential loss of data or access to computer systems, no matter what the cause — criminals or earthquake, fire, or other natural disaster. Period.
  • Perform scheduled backups regularly: Regular backups are the easiest way to protect data against ransomware attacks. Recommend that customers go the extra mile and encrypt data at rest. Then, if a device does become compromised, there’s minimal financial loss other than the cost of the device itself; the data remains safe.
  • Consider whitelisting technologies: This will help deflect unwanted software from customer systems, but it isn’t foolproof and should be used in concert with additional layers of security, such as network monitoring, firewalls, endpoint security and mobile-device management. Once vulnerabilities are found, they should be patched immediately. When you quickly apply security patches, you give cybercriminals less opportunity for injecting ransomware into your IT assets.
  • Avoid unnecessary and prolonged admin login access: Don’t let end users have admin privileges, and make sure authorized admins do not stay logged in any longer than necessary. The longer you remain logged in, the longer your digital paper trail, which attacker can use to their advantage. While in admin mode, avoid unnecessary activities that can be performed with regular login access.
  • Educate every employee on the dangers of phishing emails: Over the past few months, a majority of the Windows ransomware that has been propagated was embedded in documents and attachments distributed via email throughout entire organizations. Not surprisingly, this is still one of the most effective ways cybercriminals find the open door into corporate networks. Educate customer employees regularly on the dangers of clicking on even one attachment or link in an external email, and suggest making such a policy part of the employee onboarding process. That can go a long way in preventing malware from infiltrating the company network.

Kim Ann King serves as VP of Marketing at EiQ Networks, a pioneering security services provider, where she is responsible for all of EiQ’s global marketing efforts. She was previously the CMO of SiteSpect, a web and mobile optimization solutions provider, where she was responsible for brand awareness, demand generation, and organizational enablement initiatives that drove customer acquisition and retention. An award-winning marketer, King is also the author of The Complete Guide to B2B Marketing. Follow Kim on Twitter: @kimannking

Tags: Agents Backup & Disaster Recovery Security

Related


  • SASE network edge
    Aruba Fully Integrates Silver Peak SD-WAN, Unveils SASE Strategy
    HPE bought Silver Peak last year and brought it into the Aruba business unit.
  • Convergence
    New, Changing Partner Programs: HPE, Zoom, Fortinet, Microsoft, More
    Telecom and IT vendors are courting partners to sell their solutions.
  • Channel Chief Nameplate
    AT&T, Telarus, MicroCorp Vet to Lead RSI's Channel
    The MSSP entered the channel in early 2019.
  • Advantage
    TBI Adds Rival Intelisys Alum, Tech Data, 8x8 Vets
    The new leadership members are already making improvements at TBI.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • 7 Hot Stories: Big UCaaS Dispute, Sierra Ransomware, Telarus M&A and the End of an Era
  • Fusion Connect Brings SD-WAN, Security, Remote Access Together
  • Sierra Wireless Ransomware Attack Shuts Down Operations, Production
  • RingCentral Buying Kindite for Enhanced Security Capabilities

Galleries

View all

New, Changing Partner Programs: HPE, Zoom, Fortinet, Microsoft, More

April 12, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

Exercising Your Organization’s Data Loss Recovery Abilities

April 13, 2021

Why MSPs Need to Shift from Cyber Security to Cyber Resilience

April 13, 2021

Why Every MSP Should Consider TCO When Selecting a BCDR Solution

April 9, 2021

Webinars

View all

Top 3 Intel Security Technologies To Help Against Advanced Cybercrime Attacks

April 15, 2021

What to Look For: 2021 Threat Report

April 22, 2021

Health Care and SD-WAN: A Seller’s Guide

April 27, 2021

White Papers

View all

Top Tips: How Resellers Can Leverage Rackspace to Enhance Customer’s Cyber Security Protection with Microsoft 365 Security

March 30, 2021

Top Tips: Optimize Your Microsoft 365 Investment with Rackspace Technology

March 30, 2021

The Smart Approach to Cloud Workload Placement Decisions

March 19, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

MSP Summit

November 1, 2021 - November 2, 2021

Channel Evolution Europe

November 30, 2021 - December 1, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

FASTCHAT: How Fortinet Reduces Complexity Through Networking, Security

Strong Customer Experience Needs Strong Partner Experience

December 22, 2020

Happy Holidays from Channel Partners & Channel Futures!

December 21, 2020

2021 Excellence in Digital Services Awards App Open

December 9, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

.@RickRibas99 of @FusionConnectSM and Seth Penland of Evergreen Technology Partners join #CoffeeWithCraigAndJames..… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 14, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@SophosLabs discovers #cryptojacking amid @Microsoft Exchange exploit. dlvr.it/RxcM6f https://t.co/xPkTsL57Pg

April 14, 2021
ChannelFutures

See the full insights within our 2020 MSP 501 SMB report dlvr.it/RxcCsh https://t.co/noKPsIr2SR

April 13, 2021
ChannelFutures

The ability to recover from #dataloss is a measure of cyber fitness. @Carbonite #datarecovery #dataprotection #MSP… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 13, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@FireEye @Mandiant report highlights continuing diversity of threat landscape. #ransomware dlvr.it/Rxc3pm https://t.co/wT0gpy01lL

April 13, 2021
ChannelFutures

#SMBs will look to #MSPs to protect their businesses and help them achieve #cyberresilience @Webroot… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 13, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@JuniperNetworks EMEA #channelchief Sander Groot reveals changes to vendor’s partner organisation amid its enterpr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

April 13, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@FireMon rolls out updated partner program. #cloudsecurity dlvr.it/Rxbwh4 https://t.co/i7bmS1TNFB

April 13, 2021

MSSP Insider

Business advice for MSSPs and news from the broader security channel.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X