LATEST INTELLIGENCE and authentication tactics are put in place to mitigate the amount and severity of the damage an attacker can cause .
• 250 % increase in ransomware attacks over the past two years . Every organization is at risk , with escalating scope and volume .
• 1 in 2 ransomware infections involve data theft . Known as double extortion , this tactic forces victims to pay to protect data .
• An attack hits every 14 seconds worldwide . Attackers hide attacks to bypass traditional security controls .
Here are 10 ways in which zero trust can help your organization defend against ransomware ›
Understanding the ransomware attack sequence
While ransomware groups leverage many different technologies , tactics , and payloads to achieve their aims , their attack sequence remains largely the same . 1 ) In general , attackers will first perform reconnaissance to discover weak entry points in the enterprise attack surface . Most often , this includes scanning its broad set of internet-connected devices , applications , security tools like VPNs and firewalls – which have become primary attack vectors – and other routable infrastructure and networking resources . 2 ) Next , attackers will work to compromise a device , commonly by deploying a malicious payload or by compromising user credentials by way of social engineering . 3 ) This forms a beachhead , from which cybercriminals then scan the network environment to discover other exploitable resources , use them to move laterally , escalate privileges , and discover and exploit crown jewel applications – those with sensitive and business-critical data . 4 ) Finally , attackers steal and encrypt data , extorting the business to pay .
The best ransomware defense aligns with these attack stages . Enterprises must work to eliminate or dramatically shrink the external attack surface , prevent compromise across their devices , resources , and applications , stop lateral movement , and prevent data loss . p
www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO LATAM 17