“Do Not Pay the Ransomware”! This alert was issued after an alarming increase in the number of hospitals, businesses, and people that are receiving Ransomware threats. The alert was issued on March 31 and offered a description of the Ransomware for which healthcare and other organizations should be on the lookout. Both government agencies strongly recommended that organizations and individuals not pay the ransoms demanded by cyber attackers.
“Paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee the encrypted files will be released; it only guarantees the malicious actors receive the victim’s money and in some cases, their banking information,” officials said. “In addition, decrypting files doesn’t mean the malware infection itself has been removed.”
Along with descriptions of various Ransomware types, the alert gives recommendations for preventing an attack. Among them, the need to backup data; create a recovery plan; update software and networks; restrict employee privileges, and create a Whitelist of applications allowed to run on the network.
The alert warns of the consequences of a Ransomware attack to an individual or institution could include the loss of sensitive data, a crippling disruption of business operations and expenses to restore a system into working order. Private security experts have predicted these types of cyber attacks will continue to intensify in the near near future, as hackers increase in experience and due to the outdated security measures in place at many organizations.
The FBI released a similar advisory on Friday, March 25, urging businesses and software security experts to help to organization fight cyber crime, saying, “We need your help!”
For further information about how to protect your important and priceless data, contact a member of our OC Cloud9 technical team at (949) 699-6619 or contact us by clicking here.
Deborah is the Director of Network Operations at OC Cloud 9. She oversees the daily Operations of the company. She has been working with Orange County Computer, Inc., the parent company of OC Cloud9, Inc., since 2003. Prior to working in the IT Industry, her area of expertise was in regulatory compliance in the Healthcare Industry working with state and federal regulatory agencies. She acts as our interpreter regarding all HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. Deborah's office mantra is "Keep the client happy" and she will act as the liaison between a client request and a technical barrier to resolving as issue. She is happy to help.
In her spare time, you might find her paddle boarding in the ocean or skiing in the mountains.
