MotivIT
With security-related incidents on the rise, MotivIT has been working round-the-clock to ensure our clients’ systems are fully protected. Statistics from the industry are indicating an alarming uptrend:
- Cybersecurity Ventures forecasts that ransomware costs will reach $20 billion by 2021
- Research from Datto indicates that year-over-year ransomware downtime costs are up 200%
- Datto also reports that 20% of ransomware victims were SMBs in 2019
- Malwarebytes reports that detections of the Ryuk ransomware were up 543% in Q4 2019
- Emsisoft’s data indicates that ransomware attacks increased by 41% in 2019
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The number of breaches in the healthcare industry increased 60% between 2013 and 2014 which cost them $6 billion a year. The healthcare industry risks $305 billion in cumulative lifetime patient revenue in the next five years if cybersecurity does not become a priority
WHAT IS RANSOMWARE
A form of cyber attack whereby computers are infected via malicious software that encrypts files and folders on local drives, external drives such as USB stick, backup shared folders, and even other computers on the same local area network. In general, users are not aware they have been compromised until they see messages advising them of the security breach and demanding payment to regain access.
Unfortunately, there is no single solution that can be 100% effective against these threats.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. Practice secure email and browsing habits
a. Recognize phishing attacks by not divulging sensitive information such as your personal usernames and passwords especially banking and credit card details
b. Do not open attachments or links in emails from unknown senders
c. Carefully check link URLs if they are legitimate
d. Never click pop-up windows unless from safe sites
Please forward any suspicious activities to MotivIT’s Service Desk for our agents to review and advise further
2. Back up regularly
Limit the damage and fallout from an attack significantly by having a reliable backup routine process. If unsure, please consult with MotivIT’s team of specialists who can review your existing set-up and recommend if you need to take additional preventive action
3. Reduce access rights
Configure user accounts with only the access privileges required for their roles. Never grant full administrator access, ensure only MotivIT systems administrators have this access especially on servers and key infrastructure systems
4. Keep your computer always updated
Updates for your operating system as well as software typically patch security vulnerabilities as they arise. If your computer is managed by MotivIT, our installed RMM agent will perform these tasks automatically on a routine basis
5. Mandatory client endpoint protection
All computers whether servers or workstations must have basic endpoint protection software, ie antivirus/antimalware solutions either Windows Defender, Webroot, or BitDefender which also needs to be updated regularly with the latest definitions in order to detect and guard against the newest threats.
NEXT STEPS
As a preventive measure, MotivIT will be performing additional security scans across all supported machines as well as review any outstanding concerns and issues especially those highlighted during the recent QBRs, and seek to address them together with our clients at the highest priority.
