Combating Ransomware in the Public Sector (S1E36)

Ransomware is a topic that has made headline news with targets like the Colonial Pipeline. Federal information technology professionals should know that ransomware poses a threat to them as well.

Listen to this interview with federal and commercial subject matter experts to learn how ransomware has evolved, how it attacks your data, and learn concepts like immutable backups.

It sounds awkward to use the phrase “traditional” ransomware, but this kind of attack has been around since 1989.  The initial attacks were requests for small sums of money.  Today’s attackers are encrypting data and holding it hostage for millions. Jeff Reichard from Veeam shares an estimate that in 2021 the average ransom rose from $1.8 million to $2.0 million.

Even if one pays the ransom, the decryption process can take weeks getting access to needed data. Further, it is possible that the malicious actors have left trojan horses in the system to allow for future ransom requests.

You may develop a false sense of security because you have backups. Shawn Rosemarin explains that attackers realize this.  They enter a system and wait, a concept called “dwell time.”  An attacker will compromise a system and wait for as long as 40 days to analyze the system for weakness. Then, they can attack your backups so you can’t use them.

Ransomware tends to hit systems that are not patched and vulnerable. Of course, maintain superb hygiene to prevent a ransomware attack.  However, sooner or later an attacker will get through your carefully thought-out defenses.

Two solutions are presented during the interview.  To speed up recovery time you can consider solutions from Pure Storage that allow for recovery speeds as high as 270 terabytes an hour.

For assurance that your backups are usable, Veeam provides something called an “immutable” backup.  This is an ultra-resistant copy of the data.  They can’t be breached, deleted, or overwritten.

To earn continuing education credits for this, stream this webinar on demand: Combating Ransomware in the Public Sector.

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