Paying the ransom is still the most common response to a ransomware attack. Although progress has been made, organisations are still paying out. Here’s more on ransomware attacks following new research from Databarracks.
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New research from Databarracks reveals 44% of organisations that suffered a ransomware attack, paid the ransom. 34% recovered from backups, while 22% used ransomware decryption tools.<\/p>\n
The findings come from the Databarracks 2022 Data Health Check. Running since 2008, the annual report surveys over 400 IT decision-makers in the UK on Ransomware, Cyber, Backup, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity.<\/p>\n
Managing Director of Databarracks, James Watts commented: \u201cFrom the perspective of the victim, it\u2019s understandable why you might pay a ransom. You can\u2019t service customers, you can\u2019t take orders and losses quickly accumulate. The costs of downtime can quickly exceed the ransom.<\/p>\n
\u201cOrganisations might think that by paying the ransom it resolves the problem more quickly so they can get back to business as usual. There are several reasons why this approach is flawed.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirstly, there\u2019s no guarantee that you will get your data back. Secondly, it\u2019s quite common for organisations to be attacked again once criminals know they are an easy target. Lastly, it sends the wrong message. By paying, you are indirectly encouraging the criminals, showing their tactics work.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the right preparation and guidance however, you can recover your data, and never have to pay the ransom.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatch and update systems regularly, train staff on spotting phishing emails, and maintain the principle of least privilege.<\/p>\n
\u201cImmutable storage and physical or logical air-gaps will protect backups from also being changed or encrypted. If you do suffer an attack, your backups are your last line of defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you need to recover, identify your most recent, clean recovery point and carry out isolated, sandbox recoveries. Check to make sure no further ransomware is present before starting the full restoration. Lastly, test your Disaster Recovery Plan so know the process and you are confident you can recover quickly and effectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s survey also showed a growing number of organisations have a policy for whether they would pay out on a ransomware attack. 68% of organisations had a policy in place, up from 54% last year. The data demonstrates an increasing awareness and better preparation for ransomware attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n