Eighty-six percent SMB clients were recently victimized by ransomware and 21 percent report six or more SMB attacks in the first half of 2017 alone, according to Datto’s State of the Channel Ransomware Report.
The WannaCry ransomware attack that successfully targeted Merck is not the only cyberattack to which the pharmaceutical industry has fallen victim. As pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies move toward greater digitalization and the storage of more valuable data, their digital security practices become more and more critical.
A small subset of professional criminal actors is responsible for the bulk of cybercrime-related damage, employing tools and techniques as sophisticated, targeted and insidious as most nation-state actors, says the State of Cybercrime Report 2018.
Experts from The Chertoff Group, a global security advisory firm that enables clients to navigate changes in security risk, technology and policy, developed a list of the biggest cyber threats to watch out for in 2019.
Proofpoint, Inc. has released its global 2018 User Risk Report, which reveals gaps in cybersecurity awareness across phishing, ransomware, and malware, and finds many respondents do not take complete security measures to properly protect their data, devices, and systems.
Phishing emails remain the number one delivery mechanism for ransomware. The ransomware attack on the Lansing Board of Water and Light in Michigan, which forced the utility to shut down its accounting system, email service and phone lines, succeeded because a single employee opened an attachment to a phishing email.
Patching used to need more planning and manual intervention, but as internet access has improved, many manufacturers now provide built-in Updater Services. Microsoft have taken this further, resorting to patch-guerilla tactics: Ambush Updates. They know what’s best for you, and if you won’t restart your PC then they will. Usually this will always be when it’s least convenient for you, such is Murphy’s Law.
Cybercriminals are leveraging ransomware threats to extort big money from organizations of all sizes in every industry, but financial services organizations are one of today’s primary targets. It is non-negotiable for financial services companies to maintain the privacy of theirs customers and the security of their confidential data. If a bank or credit union is hit with a ransomware attack, significant backlash is undoubtedly going to ensue – especially if customer data is held ransom for a significant amount of time.
