This is the era of digital dominance and ransomware threat looms largely on enterprises and individuals. It is a kind of digital arrest which has emerged as the most menacing threat in recent years. Cybercriminals have targeted businesses, hospitals, government agencies, and individuals and have their data locked. Only to get rid off by paying hefty ransom to them and get their data back. So now what should you do? so you never had to pay any ransom. 

In today’s topic we will learn about the ransomware resilience approach and how to achieve it. 

What is Ransomware Resilience?

Ransomware attacks target data and usually encrypt data and demand ransom from the victim to release it. It is a form of Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) where hackers or hacking groups run an attack campaign against an organization network. This is a multi-dollar industry and in 2024, 33% of organizations that paid ransom could not recover their data. ‘Ransomware resilience’ is an approach towards cybersecurity which is focused on proactive protection of systems and data from ransomware attacks.

It is about being vigilant, prepared with robust security infrastructure to combat ransomware threats. The ultimate goal is to ‘never pay cybercriminals’. Let’s look at ways to establish a resilient ransomware defense for your IT landscape.

Ways to Establish a Resilient Ransomware Defense

• Comprehensive Security Measures – Robust combination of several layers of defense comprising endpoints, perimeter firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, anti-malware along with regular security updates and patching establish a strong wall of defense against cybercriminals and minimizes vulnerabilities that can be exploited. 
• Ongoing Employee Training and Awareness – Humans are considered the weakest link in the security chain so it is important to focus on the human aspect of security. Educating employees in recognizing phishing attacks , avoidance of malicious downloads and safe web browsing practices help to build the first line of defense. 
• Data Backup and Recovery – For ransomware resilience it is very crucial to ensure a strong backup and restore strategy should be implemented. Backups are required to be encrypted both at REST and in TRANSIT with limited personnel having access to it. Periodic restorations ensure that when you need a clean and working backup copy it is available to business. 
• Incident Response Plan – A well architected and defined incident response plan crucial to handle ransomware situations. In the event of ransomware what steps required to be taken immediately are outlined in this plan which include isolation of affected systems and informing the concerned authorities.
• Patch Management – Often poorly patched systems are easy targets to exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications. Regular patching and upgrades ensure that security vulnerabilities are taken care of, making it harder for cybercriminals to find an easy entry into your IT landscape.
• Network Segmentation – Segmentation helps in restricting lateral movement of cyber attackers into your infrastructure. This strategy can help to ensure isolation of infection and its prevention of being spread to critical systems. 
• Threat Detection and Endpoint Response – Invest in a good endpoint threat detection and response software. They are quite effective in detecting and blocking ransomware before malicious payload execution. 

Related: 20 Types of Malware

Why Paying Ransomware is Never a Choice 

Making ransomware payment is similar to paying a blackmailer. Do you think the blackmailer will stop once he gets what he wants from you? Instead of paying a hefty ransomware it is wiser to strengthen your ransomware resilience and invest in that. Paying ransomware makes you an easy target for future attacks. Also, ransomware payments do not guarantee data security. 

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