Why “WannaCry” Is a Harsh Reminder for Businesses to Boost Cybersecurity Efforts

Last week, widespread “WannaCry” ransomware attacks hit organizations across the globe, crippling productivity. This fierce strain of malware or “ransomware” — a form of malicious software that is often transmitted by email or web pop-ups — locked up users’ data and threatened to destroy it if the ransom wasn’t paid.

Businesses can learn from how WannaCry spread through the Windows file-sharing system. Developing a strict schedule for when computers company-wide should automatically install the latest software updates is smart. But for those organizations with hundreds or thousands of employees, applying security updates company-wide can be difficult. If one employee’s machine lacks the latest security software, it can infect other machines across the company network.

Steps that can and should be taken include: Making safe and secure backups; configuring and using threat detection tools and antivirus software; updating and patching your systems; educating your workforce.

So, how bad can a ransomware attack be for a business? A survey conducted by Datto, Inc. of businesses who have dealt with ransomware reported the following:

– 63% said a ransomware attack led to business-threatening downtime

– 48% reported critical data loss as a result of an infection

Sources:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4505300/5-ways-smaller-target-ransomware-hackers.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/technology/personaltech/heres-how-to-protect-yourself-from-ransomware-attacks.html?_r=0

https://www.etechcomputing.com/11-ransomware-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-data-protection/