Columbus Ransomware Defense and Restoration Consulting

Ransomware has been weaponized by cyber extortionists and bad-actor governments, posing a potentially lethal risk to companies that fall victim. Modern strains of ransomware target everything, including backup, making even partial restoration a long and expensive process. New variations of crypto-ransomware like Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, Netwalker, DopplePaymer, Snatch and Nephilim have made the headlines, displacing Locky, Spora, and Petya in notoriety, sophistication, and destructiveness.

Most crypto-ransomware breaches come from innocuous-looking emails that have dangerous links or attachments, and many are so-called "zero-day" attacks that can escape the defenses of traditional signature-based antivirus (AV) tools. Although user education and up-front detection are important to defend against ransomware, best practices demand that you take for granted some malware will eventually succeed and that you prepare a strong backup mechanism that enables you to restore files and services quickly with little if any losses.

Progent's ProSight Ransomware Vulnerability Report is an ultra-affordable service centered around a remote discussion with a Progent cybersecurity expert experienced in ransomware protection and repair. In the course of this assessment Progent will work with your Columbus network management staff to collect pertinent data concerning your cybersecurity configuration and backup processes. Progent will use this information to create a Basic Security and Best Practices Report detailing how to adhere to leading practices for implementing and administering your security and backup systems to block or recover from a ransomware assault.

Progent's Basic Security and Best Practices Report highlights vital issues related to crypto-ransomware prevention and restoration recovery. The review covers:

Cybersecurity

• Effective allocation and use of administration accounts
• Appropriate NTFS and SMB permissions
• Optimal firewall configuration
• Safe RDP connections
• Advice about AntiVirus tools selection and configuration

• Split permission architecture for backup protection
• Protecting key servers such as AD
• Offsite backups including cloud backup to Microsoft Azure

About Ransomware
Ransomware is a variety of malicious software that encrypts or steals a victim's files so they cannot be used or are publicized. Ransomware often locks the victim's computer. To avoid the damage, the victim is asked to pay a specified amount of money, typically in the form of a crypto currency such as Bitcoin, within a brief time window. It is not guaranteed that paying the extortion price will recover the damaged data or avoid its publication. Files can be altered or deleted across a network depending on the victim's write permissions, and you cannot break the strong encryption algorithms used on the hostage files. A common ransomware delivery package is booby-trapped email, whereby the target is tricked into interacting with by means of a social engineering technique called spear phishing. This causes the email message to appear to come from a familiar source. Another common attack vector is an improperly protected Remote Desktop Protocol port.

CryptoLocker ushered in the modern era of crypto-ransomware in 2013, and the damage attributed to by the many strains of ransomware is estimated at billions of dollars per year, roughly doubling every other year. Notorious attacks include Locky, and Petya. Current high-profile variants like Ryuk, Maze and CryptoWall are more sophisticated and have caused more damage than earlier strains. Even if your backup procedures allow you to restore your encrypted files, you can still be hurt by so-called exfiltration, where stolen data are exposed to the public. Because new versions of ransomware crop up daily, there is no certainty that conventional signature-matching anti-virus filters will block a new malware. If an attack does show up in an email, it is critical that your end users have been taught to be aware of phishing tricks. Your last line of protection is a sound process for scheduling and keeping remote backups plus the use of reliable recovery platforms.

Ask Progent About the ProSight Ransomware Readiness Review in Columbus
For pricing information and to find out more about how Progent's ProSight Crypto-Ransomware Preparedness Consultation can enhance your protection against crypto-ransomware in Columbus, phone Progent at 800-462-8800 or see Contact Progent.