In a week where the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued an alert to universities and other academia warning them about the increase in ransomware attacks, what can you do to protect your organisation?
What is the problem?
Ransomware has featured in the news at an alarming level. In May 2017 the NHS was hit by ransomware that disrupted hospital and GP appointments. Some NHS users found their PC’s locked and a ransom payment was demanded to use the equipment.
The problem with ransomware is that it affects multiple machines, and even if you decide to pay (which we don’t advise) there is no guarantee that your computer will be unlocked, or that your data hasn’t already been compromised.
This week, the NCSC has observed attacks that targeted the following vulnerabilities
- Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) configurations
- Unpatched software and Unsecured devices
- Phishing emails
We can help organisations mitigate the risks of attack. With ND-Central we can show you your entire network on one screen – highlighting which machines (computers or servers) may not have the most recent patches to help reduce the chances of your being a target to cyber criminals.
It’s not just equipment that is at risk. Your employees could be targeted in phishing campaigns. This is where criminals contact you, by email, text or phone and ultimately try to convince you to visit a website. Once on the website you could be asked to part with sensitive information or the website could inject malicious software onto your device.
Net-Defence can help you train your employees to spot the most common threats. Many cyber threats are simple by design, by completing Cyber Essentials you are showing your colleagues, and your suppliers, that you’re serious about cyber security. Cyber Essentials is a UK Government assurance scheme which is operated by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
If the worst should happen, we hope that you’ve taken a recent backup to help get your organisation running again as fast as possible. If you’re unsure the last time you created a back-up, it’s probably been too long – we can help automate your back-ups for you leaving you with one less thing to worry about.
For more information on how we can help, get in touch.
