What To Prioritize In Ransomware Protection

Recovering from a ransomware attack is difficult, as even when companies pay the ransom, there's no guarantee that the encrypted files will be able to be salvaged. Even if you can recover them, your critical files may have been tampered with.

Cyber threats are becoming more advanced, so having the best ransomware protection is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Implementing a solution from an inadequate provider could cause more harm than good, so choosing the right ransomware protection provider is critical. This article will discuss ransomware statistics, variants, how they attack, and what to prioritize in ransomware protection.

Ransomware Prevention Is Key

Virtually all online attacks begin with an email. In the case of ransomware, it is better to prevent as opposed to remedy an event once it's happened because it protects against the loss of essential data and saves time and money lost on ransom payment and recovery efforts. By preventing ransomware from entering the environment and responding rapidly to incidents, attackers can fail earlier and, more often, undermine their profits.

Ransomware protection solutions must maintain data integrity and provide usable copies of lost data. Every organization, regardless of size, requires protection against ransomware threats. Implementing proper data protection measures enables customers to deploy solutions for 

everyday use cases, including:

• Business continuity: ransomware protection can help businesses protect all their data and configurations to bring the company back to life following unpredictable disruptions.
• Data protection: without proper ransomware readiness, data remains susceptible to potential loss and corruption. Ransomware protection preserves data integrity, and copies lost data, ensuring an organization is always recoverable from attacks.
• Disaster recovery: all businesses and IT environments could face disruptive ransomware events that could cause data loss, corruption, or disrupt IT operations. Putting a robust ransomware protection strategy in place reduces the risks associated with unplanned disruptions and ill-intended ransomware attacks.
• End-to-end session security: covering end-to-end session security, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) for admins, to protect against ransomware attacks.
• Identity system protection and monitoring: protecting and monitoring identity systems to prevent ransomware attacks.
• Rapid threat response: promotes immediate threat response to minimize the impact of a ransomware attack.
• Multiple layers of defense: robust protection against ransomware (and other threats) requires multiple layers of security.

Protect Your Organization from Ransomware with EnGarde

When looking for a provider that offers adequate email security to protect against today’s sophisticated ransomware threats, businesses should consider two critical factors: third-party management and experience and expertise. Firstly, businesses should evaluate if the provider can manage third-party relationships. This is important because the provider may need to collaborate with other vendors, suppliers, or partners to provide a complete email security solution. The provider must have effective vendor management practices to align all parties and work toward the same goals. Secondly, businesses should look for a provider with relevant experience and expertise in email security. Expertise is necessary to ensure the provider can effectively identify and mitigate potential email threats.

Implementing a comprehensive email protection system coupled with vCISO email security services is the best way to achieve these goals and objectives. Guardian Digital EnGarde Cloud Email Security protects against ransomware attacks using dynamic URL and attachment protection, real-time behavioral analysis, and drive-by download protection to defend against emerging ransomware attacks. This all-in-one protection system employs expert system-based anomaly detection, deep learning, and behavioral analysis to identify and block potential threats.

In addition, EnGarde provides critical additional real-time security defenses designed to fill the voids in built-in cloud email protection. Key features and benefits of EnGarde's protection include:

Secure the Inbox Against Malicious Attachments and Zero-Day Ransomware

Cybercriminals constantly evolve their tactics, using techniques like identity deception and spoofing domains to trick even the most experienced security professionals into downloading malicious software. Zero-day ransomware attacks launched without warning that do not have a recognizable digital signature are increasing.

EnGarde uses an auto-learn system that combines dynamic URL and attachment protection with real-time behavior analysis and drive-by download protection to detect and block these attacks. This combination of intuitive technologies protects against ransomware before it can exploit vulnerabilities and reach your inbox.

Delivers Complete Ransomware Protection by Closing Critical Gaps in Native Microsoft 365 & Google Workspace Email Security

Despite the email protection offered by Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) in Microsoft 365, 85% of users experienced a cyberattack via email last year. EnGarde is a cloud-based solution that closes the critical gaps in static, single-layered email security defenses built into Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We allow businesses to enjoy the benefits of cloud-based email while still being protected against ransomware and other disruptive, costly email attacks.

Extends IT Resources to Offer Superior Ransomware Protection

Most businesses, especially SMBs, need more cybersecurity expertise and resources. Because of this, they are often unprepared to deal with a ransomware attack.

Guardian Digital offers expert system monitoring and maintenance and accessible support. This monitoring assistance allows you to extend your IT staff remotely, improve your email security posture, and increase your team's efficiency with cost-effective ransomware protection.

Play Ransomware Strikes Again: Attack on Hosted Exchange, Prompts Industry Response

Rackspace, a Texas-based cloud computing provider, confirmed that the Play ransomware was behind a recent cyberattack on the company's hosted Microsoft Exchange environments.

The attack led to an "isolated disruption" that affected the company's Hosted Exchange email environment and disrupted email access for its customers in early December 2022. As a result, the attackers accessed the personal storage folders of 27 Rackspace customers. The attack affected multiple data centers, indicating that Rackspace likely used Exchange multi-tenancy, meaning different customers run on shared hardware.

The company said it was working with its internal security team and a leading cyber defense firm to investigate the attack and implement measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Play ransomware was first identified in June 2022, and since then, dozens of victims have come forward seeking help. While Rackspace did not name the victim in their report, the company has revealed that the OWASSRF exploit was found on its network, and Play ransomware was behind the attack.

"We are proactively notifying customers for whom we have recovered greater than 50% of their mailboxes," the company said on the incident report page. "We are still working meticulously to upload the remaining data into the portal. Once downloaded, the PST files will be available through the customer portal for 30 days."

Unlike typical ransomware groups, Play gang affiliates engage in email negotiations and threaten to leak stolen data if the ransom is unpaid. Notable victims of the Play ransomware 

operation include:

• The German H-Hotels hotel chain.
• Argentina's Judiciary of Córdoba.
• Antwerp, Belgium.

Keep Learning About Ransomware Protection

While ransomware is a serious threat all businesses face, the good news is that these damaging, costly attacks can be prevented with the right email security defenses for your organization in place. Prevention is far better than remediation, and implementing the caliber of email protection required to repel these attacks is a worthwhile investment. 

• Learn about the future of ransomware and best practices for protecting against ransomware.
• Use defense in depth to block threats in real time.
• Get the latest updates on how to stay safe online.