Ransomware attacks are a very real and continued threat to businesses. In 2020 the UK was the second most targeted country for ransomware attacks, which cost business in the region of £365 million. This is in part due to the changes in working practices with the onset of the pandemic, making IT networks increasingly vulnerable to breaches. But it is also due to the worrying advancement in ransomware programs, which can gain a foothold inside an organisation’s network through many different points of entry. Added to this, ransomware attacks are often delayed before the infection is initiated, making such malicious programs very difficult to detect for standard protection software.
How do hackers gain access?
Broadly speaking there are two avenues open to ransomware attacks. Hackers may opt for a brute force attack, often targeting the Remote Desktop Protocol to gain administration command and plant the infection. A more common method, however, is to target the weakest point of any network: the users. Hackers may gain access to a network through targeted phishing attacks, or implanting infected files through seemingly legitimate software downloads and links on websites and messenger apps. Once a hacker gains a foothold on a network it can often already be too late.
Prevention is the best defence
What this comes down to in terms of cybersecurity is prevention before infection. As ransomware can potentially target and enter any control point of a network, prevention means denying attackers initial access to any part of the organisation. Unfortunately, prevention is easier said than done where there are multiple points of entry and IT departments are burdened with out-of-date security systems and strategies. With the proliferation of ransomware attacks through easier accessibility, IT departments need to take a robust approach in what strategies and security systems they use.
The answer? New generation autonomous extended detection and response solutions
When approaching cybersecurity for ransomware attacks, effective endpoint protection and threat detection are required. Traditional security solutions such as password-based authentication and endpoint protection built on antivirus signatures can no longer alone stand up to modern-day ransomware attacks effectively.
With the development of autonomous extended detection and response (XDR) solutions, this problem is being overcome. The autonomous XDR platforms automatically monitor an organisation’s IT infrastructure in real time, analysing processes and behaviours in detail. This makes it possible to detect malicious code to a very high specificity by using an automated AI based platform that can learn, adapt to and mitigate threats.
Autonomous XDR platforms are able to prevent ransomware threats before they have a chance to take hold in a network through quick detection, quarantining and removal of the infection. The aim of this new generation of technology is to keep IT security teams one step ahead of any potential ransomware attackers, so organisations remain protected no matter the cyber threats they face.
Interested in implementing an XDR solution for your business? Talk to us
If you’re concerned about the on-going threat of cyber breaches in your business, we can help you decide on the best way forward. We’ll discuss how to protect your business and will look objectively at your organisation, systems and security needs and work with you to develop an effective security plan.
If you would like to speak to us about any aspect of this article, contact Andrew Wayman at andrew.wayman@sdt.co.uk or call our office on +44 (0)1344 870062.