Put yourself in the shoes of a cybercriminal. What kind of ransomware attack would you launch? Would you throw out one big attack and try to get as many victims as possible? What about a more targeted ransomware attack to get a specific company or individual? It would make sense to hit as many people as you can to get more results. But cybercriminals have shifted to smaller, targeted ransomware attacks to go after specific companies or individuals.
The Shift to Targeted Ransomware
Up until recently, the go-to method of cybercriminals was to hit as many targets as they could. The idea being that more victims would lead to more people willing to pay. Spam was the ideal way of spreading since it could reach countless victims in no time. Within the past year, attackers have ditched the traditional approach in favor of targeted ransomware.
Fewer Victims, Same Results
With a shift in their approach, cybercriminals have experimented and found that smaller attacks could be just as effective. Targeting companies based on industry, size, and location have proven to have the best results. Targeted ransomware attacks have become more sophisticated, particularly when it comes to phishing emails. Just one employee has to give up their login information for an attacker to gain access to all your company’s data.
Companies in finance, healthcare, higher education, and technology have been targeted more than most. These targets were much more significant and had more endpoints to infect.
Protecting Against Targeted Ransomware
It doesn’t matter the size of the malicious attack or what industry your business is in; your business is vulnerable. You must be ready for all attacks, including targeted ransomware. Cybercriminals have shown time and again that if you aren’t prepared to protect your infrastructure, you will pay the price. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for your company’s security. You must protect your business from all kinds of malicious attacks, including hardware and software protections and other security best practices.
For more information to protect your business from targeted ransomware attacks, reach out to IT Support Guys at 855-4IT-GUYS (855-448-4897) or click here to learn about our network security solutions.
