On March 22, 2018 the City of Atlanta reported a ransomware attack—SAMSAM—from hackers requesting $51,000. Ransomware is a malware attack that prohibits access to computer files that can take down an entire company infrastructure and prevent access to important files and systems. For example, six days after the City of Atlanta attack police and municipal court employees are having to fill out paperwork by hand on paper, residents are unable to pay water bills and parking tickets online too.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the SAMSAM strain was used to compromise the networks of multiple U.S. victims, including 2016 attacks on healthcare facilities that were running outdated versions of the JBoss content management application.
There are several preventative measures companies can take to avoid and minimize ransomware attacks, including:
- Online backups
- Antivirus/Malware software
- Web filtering
- Email filtering
- Document Management System
- User training
Most ransomware attacks occur from users opening files or clicking on website links that launch the attack. It is important to remind users not to open files or links from unknown sources. Hover over links before clicking on them because the link can display something different than the actual website. For example, you may receive a message from FedEx saying click here to track your package, but the actual link is to a website that installs harmful software allowing hacker’s access into your company’s network.
Keep your Atlanta, GA and Greenville, SC area business safe and secure. Give yourself some peace of mind by scheduling your IT security audit online or giving us a call at (833) 482-6435.