A Defense Against Ransomware

A Defense Against Ransomware

A cloud document management system is a defense against ransomware.

Ransomware attacks have become prevalent in the last few years. According to a study by Cybersecurity Ventures, they predict the global cost of cybercrime will increase by nearly 15 percent in the next five years, amounting to $10.5 Trillion in damage by the year 2025. As a result, top security organizations are advising companies to take action and improve their defenses against cybercriminals.

With the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, minimizing the number of vulnerabilities can be difficult; however, there are still several ways to prevent damage from these attacks. One great way to mitigate the impact of an attack is to store and backup your digital files on a Cloud system. Luckily, ImageSite and Engine-Box are here to help protect you.

The Ugly Part of the Story

Unfortunately, stories of organizations subjected to ransomware attacks have plagued the headlines, as organized crime groups have conducted many of these attacks against several high-profile organizations. These organizations, however, only account for a small percent of companies hit by attacks. Many attacks, we never hear about, yet they have a substantial impact on the well-being of these organizations.

Not only are organizations on the hook for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars, but the impact to operations, customers, and potential loss of data can be egregious - not to mention the damage to people’s careers (IT, we are looking at you).

Experts recommend creating a robust cybersecurity architecture to combat these attacks, as keeping the bad guys out of your system is the recommended first line of defense. If they can’t get in, they can’t embed their ransomware software, wreaking havoc on your company’s files.

Creating a powerful cybersecurity architecture is easier said than done these days because, as humans, we are susceptible to innocuous phishing emails that, once clicked on, start the ferocious process of uploading the malware we call ransomware. A 2020 study, conducted by Terranova Security confirmed that nearly 25 percent of American workers clicked on phishing emails - most of them unaware of the ramifications.

The Good Part of the Story

Installing cybersecurity measures is essential to business continuity, and IT departments worldwide are trying very hard to strengthen their systems and data centers. A simple, yet powerful solution is keeping files on a Cloud platform, like Amazon Web Services (AWS), along with current backups. This configuration has two great features:

1. It is difficult for the bad guys to access Cloud systems, especially those managed by big Cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google. These providers have installed some of the best technology for identifying and preventing unauthorized intrusion in their data centers, paired with operating software to minimize and mitigate the impact of any intrusion. If the ransomware software can’t get to your files, they have no teeth to demand a ransom.
2. If the ransomware does get to your files, you can instantly shut down your systems and look to restoring your files and applications from your backups (which are typically maintained on totally different VPCs [Virtual Private Cloud], Amazon’s Cloud architecture). For even more conservative configurations, you can make backups in multiple data centers. Getting back up and going takes some time and energy, but nothing like negotiating over encryption keys that may or may not ultimately release your files from ransom.

Our engineering document management system is a defense against ransomware

eQuorum provides two solutions for organizations looking to maintain and backup files in the Cloud – ImageSite, a private Cloud option with a single organization per VPC; and Engine-Box.com, a Cloud SaaS option with multiple organizations per VPC. Engine-Box.com, as a multi-tenant SaaS offers pricing by subscription, reducing overall system costs and capital expenditure layouts.

Both options run on the AWS platform with its industry-leading security and intrusion protection. (For government contractors and vendors, eQuorum even provides an AWS govCloud option.) AWS, and other Cloud providers, are in the business of protecting their customer’s systems and data and spend considerable money on keeping their operations ahead of the cybercriminals.

eQuorum also backs up all customer files daily to a different VPC. (An option to backup to a different AWS Availability Zone [different datacenter] is available.) So even if your operating files get attacked and encrypted (the way ransomware keeps you from using your files), the organization can delete the encrypted files and restore the non-encrypted backups. (eQuorum, through AWS, scans all files for malware and viruses prior to making a backup.)

Given the flexibility and scalability of having your system and files on the Cloud, it is easy to see why more organizations are moving to Cloud options. The additional security for your intellectual property and defense against bad actors using cyber extortion, like ransomware, is a key benefit to justify moves to the Cloud.

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