5 Ransomware Protection Strategies To Implement Now

A new year means a fresh start for many of your clients. Don’t let the threat of ransomware impact their 2023 business operations and growth plans. 

  • January 12, 2023 | Author: Allison Bergamo
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A new year means a fresh start for many of your clients. Don’t let the threat of ransomware impact their 2023 business operations and growth plans. The FortiGuard Labs team documented 10,666 new ransomware variants in 1H 2022 compared to just 5,400 in 2H 2021. As more cybercriminals take advantage of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) subscriptions on the dark web, it’s safe to assume that this number will continue to increase through 2023. Here are five ransomware protection strategies that you can implement now to help reduce your clients’ risk of an attack.

1.     Conduct ransomware training for your clients

According to the Verizon 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report, 82 percent of breaches that occurred in the past year involved the human element. Train your clients on how to spot signs of ransomware, such as emails designed to look like they are from authentic businesses, suspicious external links and questionable file attachments. Test their knowledge by sending “fake” emails to them and seeing how many of your clients open them.

2.     Implement cyber deception strategies to thwart attackers

Cyber deception technology uses ransomware’s own techniques and tactics against itself to detect ransomware threats and uncover the attackers' tactics, tools and procedures (TTP) that allowed them to gain access to your client’s assets. Armed with this knowledge, you can identify and close those security gaps.

3.     Monitor your clients’ networks and endpoints

Consistent, ongoing network monitoring allows you to log incoming and outgoing traffic, scan files for evidence of an attack, and establish a baseline for acceptable user activity. Deploying antivirus and anti-ransomware tools enables you to whitelist acceptable sites. Finally, adding behavioral-based detections can help you identify and address suspicious network activity.

4.     Take an outside-the-network view to potential risks

Consider adding a digital risk protection (DRP) solution to help identify and mitigate key risk areas including digital asset risks, brand-related risks and underground and imminent threats.

5.     Augment your team with SOC-as-a-service

The cybersecurity talent shortage is real and shows no signs of abetting. A Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provider or a SOC-as-a-service offering can take the burden of managing day-to-day tasks on your plate and allow your analysts to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Learn more about Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs threat research and global intelligence organization and Fortinet’s FortiGuard AI-powered Security Services portfolio. You can also sign up to receive our threat research blogs.

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