Around 2,650 ransomware incidents were detected and blocked by Kaspersky cybersecurity solutions for businesses in Sri Lanka from January to December 2023.
Experts from the global cybersecurity company insist on organisations, regardless of shape and size, to beef up their IT security posture as ransomware, especially the targeted type, continues to be a damaging menace for organisations in the region.
Lead Malware Analyst at Kaspersky, Fedor Sinitsyn said, “The era of widespread mass attacks by encryptors on individuals and businesses is gradually fading away. Instead, we are witnessing a shift towards organised groups that execute hacks involving data theft and encryption, commonly referred to as double extortion. The rationale behind this evolution lies in the perpetrators’ ability to operate with greater efficiency, thereby enabling them to demand significantly higher ransom sums.” Last year, ransomware incidents in Sri Lanka included the compromise of 5,000 government-related emails and attacks on telecom servers.
General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky, Yeo Siang Tiong said, “It’s evident that the threat actors behind ransomware attacks target all sectors in Sri Lanka. The total number of attempts may be low, but organisations need to realise the real impact of each successful ransomware infection, both on the financial and reputation fronts.
“It’s imperative for businesses here to look into cybersecurity technologies that provide absolute anti-ransomware effectiveness in third-party exams. Because not all cybersecurity solutions are created equal,” Tiong said.
To combat ransomware and assist those affected, Kaspersky, alongside Europol, the Dutch National Police, and others has the No More Ransom initiative, launched in 2016. On the official website, participants provide decryption tools, guidelines, and instructions to report cybercrimes, irrespective of the location of the incident.
By the end of last year, Kaspersky marked the seventh anniversary as a key contributor to the No More Ransom initiative. This period witnessed expanded access to Kaspersky’s free decryption tools, in line with its commitment to combating ransomware.
These tools, targeting 39 ransomware families, have been integral in assisting nearly two million victims globally, as reported by Europol, underscoring the profound impact of the No More Ransom initiative supported by Kaspersky.
To protect yourself and your business from ransomware attacks, consider following the rules proposed by Kaspersky experts:
• Do not expose remote desktop/management services (such as RDP and MSSQL) to public networks unless absolutely necessary and always use strong passwords, two-factor authentication and firewall rules for them.
• Promptly install available patches for commercial VPN solutions providing access for remote employees and acting as gateways in your network.
• Always keep software updated on all the devices you use to prevent ransomware from exploiting vulnerabilities.
• Focus your defence strategy on detecting lateral movements and data exfiltration to the Internet. Pay special attention to the outgoing traffic to detect cybercriminals’ connections.
• Back up data regularly with special attention to offline backup strategies. Make sure you can quickly access it in an emergency when needed.
• Avoid downloading and installing pirated software or software from unknown sources.
• Assess and audit your supply chain and managed services’ access to your environment.
• Prepare an action plan for reputational risk of your data exposure in the unfortunate event of data theft.
• To protect the corporate environment, educate your employees. Dedicated training courses can help.
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