Bakersfield Ransomware Prevention and Removal Expertise

Ransomware has become the weapon of choice for the major cyber-crime organizations and bad-actor governments, posing a potentially lethal threat to businesses that fall victim. The latest variations of crypto-ransomware go after everything, including backup, making even partial restoration a challenging and costly exercise. New variations of crypto-ransomware like Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, Mailto (aka Netwalker), DopplePaymer, Conti and Nephilim have made the headlines, displacing Locky, Spora, and Petya in prominence, sophistication, and destructiveness.

Most ransomware breaches are caused by innocent-looking emails with malicious hyperlinks or file attachments, and many are "zero-day" strains that elude detection by traditional signature-based antivirus tools. While user training and up-front identification are important to defend against ransomware, best practices dictate that you expect that some malware will eventually succeed and that you prepare a strong backup mechanism that permits you to recover rapidly with little if any damage.

Progent's ProSight Ransomware Preparedness Checkup is an ultra-affordable service built around a remote interview with a Progent security consultant experienced in ransomware defense and recovery. In the course of this assessment Progent will work with your Bakersfield network managers to gather critical information concerning your cybersecurity setup and backup processes. Progent will use this information to produce a Basic Security and Best Practices Assessment detailing how to apply leading practices for implementing and managing your cybersecurity and backup systems to block or clean up after a ransomware assault.

Progent's Basic Security and Best Practices Report focuses on vital issues related to ransomware prevention and restoration recovery. The report addresses:

Security

• Correct use of administration accounts
• Assigning NTFS (New Technology File System) and SMB (Server Message Block) authorizations
• Optimal firewall configuration
• Safe Remote Desktop Protocol connections
• Advice about AntiVirus tools identification and configuration

• Split permission model for backup protection
• Backing up critical servers including Active Directory
• Offsite backups including cloud backup to Microsoft Azure

About Ransomware
Ransomware is a variety of malware that encrypts or steals a victim's files so they are unusable or are publicized. Crypto-ransomware sometimes locks the target's computer. To avoid the carnage, the victim is asked to send a specified ransom, typically in the form of a crypto currency like Bitcoin, within a short time window. It is not guaranteed that delivering the extortion price will restore the lost data or prevent its publication. Files can be altered or deleted across a network depending on the target's write permissions, and you cannot solve the strong encryption technologies used on the hostage files. A common ransomware attack vector is spoofed email, whereby the user is lured into interacting with by a social engineering technique called spear phishing. This makes the email message to appear to come from a familiar source. Another common vulnerability is a poorly secured Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) port.

CryptoLocker ushered in the new age of crypto-ransomware in 2013, and the damage caused by different versions of ransomware is said to be billions of dollars per year, more than doubling every other year. Notorious examples include Locky, and Petya. Current high-profile threats like Ryuk, Sodinokibi and Cerber are more complex and have wreaked more damage than older strains. Even if your backup procedures permit you to recover your ransomed data, you can still be hurt by exfiltration, where ransomed documents are made public. Because new variants of ransomware crop up daily, there is no guarantee that conventional signature-based anti-virus tools will detect a new malware. If an attack does appear in an email, it is critical that your end users have been taught to be aware of phishing techniques. Your ultimate protection is a sound process for scheduling and keeping offsite backups plus the deployment of reliable restoration platforms.

Contact Progent About the ProSight Ransomware Preparedness Testing in Bakersfield
For pricing information and to learn more about how Progent's ProSight Ransomware Readiness Report can enhance your defense against crypto-ransomware in Bakersfield, call Progent at 800-462-8800 or see Contact Progent.