Ransomware is a severe and persistent problem. A Nordlocker study from January 2020 to July 2022 indicated ransomware attacks targeted companies with $4.15 trillion in combined revenue.
These cybersecurity issues also affected more than 12 million employees during the studied period. Thus, ransomware protection methods are a much-discussed topic.
As types of ransomware get more advanced and devastating, what are the best ways to defend a business?
People often bring up access controls as they plan or improve strategies to safeguard against ransomware. However, they’re not total solutions.
Limiting what people can access within an organization can minimize the damage linked to a ransomware attack.
The Least-Privilege Principle Minimizes Possible Access
One best practice for ransomware protection is to deploy the least-privilege principle for access. It means people only have what’s required to do their jobs.
However, this approach also encourages hackers to find the accounts of the people within the organization who have the most privileged access.
It’s also helpful to restrict which users can install and run the software. Hackers often try to do those things when putting malware on a machine.
However, it’s necessary to strike the right balance between security and productivity.
If people believe a company’s cybersecurity procedures prevent them from doing their jobs well, they might try to circumvent those measures.
Privileges-Based Access Management Thwarts Hackers
A privileged access management (PAM) strategy is also an excellent preventive measure against successful ransomware attacks. That approach significantly limits how far they can spread.
PAM relies on single-use passwords that only remain valid for a person’s session. It’s then useless for a hacker to steal those passwords and try to access systems with them. PAM sessions also get recorded and monitored.
Security team members can end them remotely if a person’s behavior becomes suspicious or exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Companies also use behavioral analytics to create profiles of each privileged user.
The details could include how fast they type, what sites or platforms they visit, for how long, and from which location the person accesses the system.
A deviation from the norm does not necessarily signify something amiss, but it could encourage security teams to keep a closer watch.
Using the Latest Tech Matters, Too
Access control is only part of a well-developed strategy against ransomware. Companies should also invest in the latest technologies.
That might mean ensuring all employees use the latest operating systems and software versions.
It could also entail purchasing cybersecurity solutions that rely on artificial intelligence and other advanced options to help people spot and defend against cyber threats.
Legacy systems often can’t keep up with new and improved processes. That’s one of the common problems that encourage investments in new technologies.
However, companies should still consider tech-related cybersecurity tools even if they have the most recent computers and software versions.
For example, some access control products allow people to see login attempts and current sessions on a centralized dashboard.
IT managers and others in authority can then detect anything that seems out of the ordinary.
Discouraging Password-Sharing Could Make a Difference
It’s impossible to know precisely what kind of supercharged ransomware is on the horizon. However, something practical that people can keep doing is following best practices for accessing tools and platforms.
One of the basic principles is always to keep passwords private and never share them. However, that advice often gets overlooked or ignored.
A 2021 study found 62% of United States employees had shared passwords over email or text messages. However, password-sharing may also be a company policy.
Such was the case for 46% of workers who said their employers directed them to share passwords for resources used by multiple people.
Password-sharing could circumvent an IT team’s best efforts to implement tight access controls.
Also, the more people with access to one password, the easier it is for at least one of them to misuse it and erode security even further.
This problem is most impactful when a password associated with a high-privilege account spreads between people at an organization with fewer access rights.
Treat Access Control as One of Many Vital Aspects
Ransomware is an ever-present threat, and cybercriminals are orchestrating attacks that are more disabling, costly, and difficult to recover from.
However, creating and implementing an all-encompassing ransomware prevention and response plan can keep companies safer.
Access control can limit what a hacker can affect and do within an organization. It can also stop ransomware from spreading through a network.
However, people must view access control as one measure among many to keep ransomware at bay.
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