Ransomware: How to identify the threat and protect yourself against it
Ransomware has affected over 13.1 million US citizens. That’s 4 percent of the entire US population. Half of those people will pay a steep ransom of up to $500 to retrieve their information.
Do not let this be you. Arm yourself against the epidemic and read on to find out how keep yourself from being a part of the statistic.
Ransomware-as-a-service tool generates $195,000 profit in July
There are a number of high profile ransomware programs doing the rounds at the moment and we know that it can generate lucrative returns for the people behind it.
But just as in the legitimate commercial world, the as-a-service model is starting to gain traction with attackers. Security vendor Check Point is releasing details of Cerber, which it believes is the world's biggest ransomware-as-a-service scheme.
Application control is a solid defense against ransomware
Application control, such as greylisting, paired with selective local admin rights management, is 100 percent effective against ransomware and unwanted file encryption.
This is according to CyberArk Labs’ new report, based on the analysis of more than 23,000 real-world samples from common ransomware families, such as Cryptolocker, Petya and Locky. More than 30 different malware families were tested, and the results posted in the report entitled Analyzing Ransomware and Potential Mitigation Strategies.
Ransomware makes up half of all malware
Ransomware is no longer a quick and easy way for cyber-criminals to get their hands on some money. It is now considered a "permanent fixture on the threat landscape" -- at least according to PhishMe’s Q2 2016 Malware Review.
The security experts’ new report says ransomware now accounts for 50 percent of all malware configurations, meaning it is now a mature business model. It also says it shows no outward signs of diminishing.
Almost 40 percent of enterprises hit by ransomware in the last year
Ransomware is one of the biggest security threats that organizations face. New research from malware prevention and removal specialist Malwarebytes across the US, Canada, UK and Germany and finds that nearly 40 percent of businesses have experienced a ransomware attack in the last year.
The study conducted by Osterman Research also reveals that of those that have fallen victim more than a third lost revenue and 20 percent had to stop business completely.
Future ransomware will be scary-dangerous
Here is a scary prospect. Ransomware that hides in a corporate network, analyzing it and multiplying itself until it is found on every machine in an organization. Only after it has contaminated every machine in a network will it activate, in a coordinated attack, bringing an entire company’s business to a screeching halt, until a large sum of money is paid to the attacker.
Such an idea is not yet reality, but it’s not far from it, either. Cisco’s Midyear Cybersecurity Report says it is only a matter before we hit this milestone, mostly because ransomware has become the most lucrative malware type in history.
Europol's No More Ransom website helps ransomware victims unlock their files
To help curb the global rise of ransomware, the European police agency Europol has decided to launch a new initiative and website to put victims of an attack in touch with the police.
The initiative will be called "No More Ransom" and will be coordinated by Europol, but will also be receiving help from the Dutch national police, Intel Security and Kaspersky Lab.
88 percent of all ransomware is detected in the healthcare industry
According to the findings of a new report, companies in the healthcare industry have the most ransomware present, accounting for 88 percent of all detections in the second quarter of this year.
The report from managed security provider Solutionary shows other affected industries include education (six percent) and finance (four percent), with eight other industries combining for less than two percent of detections.
SentinelOne offers customers a $1 million ransomware guarantee
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats that companies face and it can have severe consequences if important files are corrupted or lost.
Endpoint security specialist SentinelOne is underlining its confidence in its product by launching a threat protection guarantee to provide customers with financial protection in the event of ransomware attacks on their networks.
New solution tackles ransomware at source
Ransomware is one of the biggest cyber threats businesses and individuals face and tackling it requires a customized approach.
Israel-based illusive networks is launching a new Advanced Ransomware Guard product that uses deception techniques to spot threats across the entire network, endpoints and servers and neutralize ransomware activity at the source hosts.
Average ransomware demand doubles in six months
Remember that recent article I wrote about how people value their online data much more than what extortionists are asking for when they hit them with ransomware?
Well, extortionists seem to have caught on. Newest research paper from Symantec tells us that the average ransom demand is now £525, up from £223 at the end of last year.
Everything you need to know about ransomware
Ransomware is one of the most feared security threats today and it is fast becoming one of the most profitable areas of cybercrime for attackers. It allows criminals to monetize their cybercrime efforts quicker than previous tactics allowed. Historically, they would have to steal their target’s data, and then find an avenue to resell that data to make it profitable. With ransomware, criminals are simply stealing a person’s data and selling it back to them for a price.
The victim already owned the data so they will definitely want it back. This therefore means the cybercriminal does not have a hard sell ahead of him. In addition to this, with the rise of anonymous currency, such as Bitcoin, there is even less of a chance of cybercriminals getting caught. Attackers can make hundreds to thousands of dollars per infection and get paid immediately, instead of going through other risky steps to make a profit.
Stampedo ransomware available for just $39
A new variant of ransomware has been found for sale on the dark web for an incredibly low price that allows its victims 96 hours to pay a fee.
This new piece of ransomware is called Stampedo and it is available for only $39 which includes a lifetime license. Once it has infected a user’s system, a fee must be paid within the allotted time in order to regain access. If a user fails to pay the fee, Stampedo begins to delete random files on their computer within six hour intervals.
Ransomware victims pay less than they expect
If you’re a cyber-criminal looking to enter the ransomware game, but not sure how much money you should demand for the unlocking of a victim’s files, don’t worry. Kaspersky Lab has done the research for you.
The security firm, together with B2B International, says people value their smartphone data, on average, at $682. In 39 percent of cases, the figure exceeds $1,000. On the other hand, cyber-criminals which have managed to lock a victim’s device through ransomware, usually demand $300.
CryptoDrop can stop ransomware early on in the encryption phase
New software, designed by scientists at the University of Florida (UF), just might be the answer to thwarting the ever-growing problem of ransomware.
Ransomware is a form of malware used by cybercriminals to exploit users into paying significant sums of money to retrieve their own files. When an infection happens, the files on a user’s system are encrypted by the virus and the only way to regain access to those files is by paying a ransom to the hackers behind the attack.
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