The European police agency Europol has warned that the rise in ransomware has taken cyber crime to another level.
Europol Executive Director Rob Wainwright recently discussed the rise of ransomware as the preferred tool used by cyber criminals at an international conference.
Europol has published an 80-page report highlighting the growing threat posed by ransomware attacks:
“Ransomware attacks have eclipsed most other global cybercrime threats, with the first half of 2017 witnessing ransomware attacks on a scale previously unseen following the emergence of self-propagating ‘ransomworms’, as observed in the WannaCry and Petya/NotPetya cases. Moreover, while information-stealing malware such as banking Trojans remain a key threat, they often have a limited target profile.
“Ransomware has widened the range of potential malware victims, impacting victims indiscriminately across multiple industries in both the private and public sectors, and highlighting how connectivity and poor digital hygiene and security practices can allow such a threat to quickly spread and expand the attack vector.”
In previous blogs we have highlighted the dangers ransomware can pose to an organisation. Recent NotPetya and WannaCry attacks have cost organisations millions.
Protect yourself from attacks
In response to the growing concern over ransomware and malware, IT Governance now provides a scalable solution for staff awareness training. Our Phishing and Ransomware – Human patch e-learning course explains the threats that ransomware presents to organisations, and gives details of the resources available to help you understand and combat those threats. This ten-minute course provides an introduction to phishing and ransomware. We also offer a more detailed Phishing Staff Awareness Course.
Our three-day Cyber Health Check is ideal for large organisations. This includes on-site consultancy and audit, remote vulnerability assessments and an online staff survey in order to assess your cyber risk exposure and identify a practical route to minimise your risks. Receive a prioritised action plan for controlling your cyber risks in line with your risk appetite.
Visit our ransomware page to view all the services we offer to help your organisation combat threats.
