0
Ransomware is a form of malware that works by blocking access to the device or data that is stored on the device, usually by encrypting files on the device. Ransomware can find its way into a device through many avenues including malicious email attachments, phishing, and inadequately secured RDP sessions. Once ransomware enters a device, it will attempt to propagate through the network and, depending on the sophistication of the ransomware and the attacker, identify the most valuable data or files to be encrypted or look for backups to encrypt them as well. Once this reconnaissance is completed, the encryption will begin and the attacker will demand a ransom, typically in crypt-currency like Bit-coin, to provide decryption keys. This process may not be quick – the encryption phase may commence 3 months after the initial infection.
Ransomware operators have also begun to steal data before encrypting it to apply additional pressure on victims to pay the ransom through
Double Extortion – The attacker threatens to release the exfiltrated data if the ransom is not paid Triple Extortion – The attacker contacts the victim’s clients and informs them that their data has been stolen and will be released if they or the victim does not pay the ransom
What else can I help you with?
RaaS – Ransomware Sauce Added To The SaaS Recipe?
To understand Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) and how it impacts Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) we must first understand ransomware and Software as a Service (SaaS) and how these intersect.
How do you deal with ransomware?
Sadly, if the ransomware acts as intended, the only real way to get rid of ransomware is to have an antivirus software that protects against it beforehand, or to pay the ransom. If it asks for payment in the form of bitcoins or some other currency you do not currently have, you will lose your information.
RaaS Is A Nightmare For SMBs?
Before the RaaS model was developed, ransomware developers would prefer attacking large companies as the ransom collected would have to be large enough to justify their effort and risk in developing and deploying the ransomware. Development of ransomware required great skill which limited the number of ransomware developers and therefore the number of attacks. Under the RaaS model, the attack can be carried out by an affiliate who has no coding knowledge, which significantly increases the number of attackers. It now becomes profitable for ransomware operators to attack a large number of smaller victims which opens the floodgates to attacks on SMBs, which is supported by attack statistics: the USA reports that 50-70% of all ransomware attacks target SMBs. This is a nightmare for SMBs because the disruption caused by a ransomware attack may be sufficient to shut down operations.
Ransomware as a Service (RaaS)?
Ransomware is quite complex and not easy to develop, especially as businesses are ramping up their protection against ransomware and therefore ransomware developers have to increase the sophistication of the ransomware to evade enterprise defences. Continuous development of ransomware leaves the developers with little time to search for suitable victims and carry out attacks. They have therefore applied the SaaS delivery model to ransomware to create Ransomware as a Service where the developer provides the ransomware on a subscription or commission basis to affiliates who identify potential victims and carry out attacks. RaaS offerings can be very sophisticated with developers advertising their offerings on the dark web and offering dashboards for the affiliates to use to monitor their attacks. Some RaaS providers even include Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and voice-scrambled VoIP calls to the victim’s business partners and the media as part of their service to increase pressure on the victim to pay the ransom. From the threat actors’ point of view, this is a superior model as division of labour creates specialisation, increases productivity, and improves return on investment. However, this is bad news for victims especially for SMBs.
Anti-ransomware Measures?
There are two types of anti-ransomware measures that you can implement to stop ransomware: Management/Organisational Initiatives – These include formulating a cybersecurity policy, maintaining pasword hygiene, and educating users against cyberattacks Technology Solutions – These involve using cybersecurity, like K7 Endpoint Security (K7 EPS), that is designed to detect and defeat ransomware Our earlier blog Cyber-hygienic Healthcare – Preventing Digital Infections has a detailed discussion on the Management/Organisational initiatives that will need to be implemented. This blog will discuss the technology aspects of ransomware and how K7 Endpoint Security works to identify and block this cyberthreat.
How Ransomware Works?
There are different flavours of ransomware but they all attempt to block your access to your data and devices, and demand a ransom to restore access. They block access by encrypting data. Some ransomware look for and encrypt files, such as Word or Excel documents, that are present on the device and some encrypt the Master Boot Record (MBR) to prevent the OS from loading.
Things You Should Know About Ransomware As A Service (RaaS)?
Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) is a growing cybercrime model where ransomware developers lease out their tools to other attackers, making it easier for even low-skilled criminals to launch high-impact attacks. This has led to a surge in ransomware incidents, often involving double extortion tactics—encrypting data and threatening to leak it unless a ransom is paid. Traditional security measures aren't enough to stop these evolving threats. That’s why businesses turn to cybersecurity providers like SafeAeon, which offers 24/7 threat detection, ransomware prevention, and expert-managed security services to help organizations stay protected and resilient against RaaS attacks.
Describe preventive measures and steps to take if a ransomware attack occurs?
Tips Identify assets that are searchable via online tools and take steps to reduce that exposure. Protecting Against Ransomware. Understanding Patches and Software Updates. Using Caution with Email Attachments. SMB Security Best Practices. Website Security. Rising Ransomware Threat to Operational Technology Assets.
What is ransom ware?
Ransomware is a form of malware that depending on how it's designed, it can deny its victim access to their personal data or their entire computer (thus holding it hostage) unless certain criteria were met, thus giving the term ransomware.
How K7 Protects Against Ransomware?
K7 EPS employs two methods to provide direct protection against ransomware: Signature-based Detection – The K7 Threat Lab analyses hundreds of thousands of malware samples every day and releases malware definition updates multiple times a day to identify ransomware by their signatures and stop them Behaviour-based Detection – Ransomware operators know that cybersecurity firms utilise signatures to stop ransomware, and develop obfuscation methods to hide their signatures. Behaviour-based detection uses heuristic scanning, monitoring potentially suspicious processes, and increases in file entropy to identify ransomware that is obfuscated. This method is also used to detect new ransomware that may not have a malware sample One of the challenges faced in creating anti-ransomware solutions is the legitimate use of encryption for data security, which you may use in your organisation to protect private or proprietary information. K7 EPS is designed to differentiate between malicious encryption and legitimate encryption, and only stop the former. Signature- and behaviour-based detection stops ransomware once the malicious payload is activated. K7 EPS also includes features that stop cyberthreats before their payload can be deployed, including automatic email scanning, blocking of phishing links and malicious websites, and scanning of USB drives (or even blocking them entirely if you wish) to stop malware ingress.
Winning Against Ransomware?
Before we begin discussing how we can win against ransomware, let us first address the belief that small organisations, or organisations that do not operate in large cities, will not suffer ransomware attacks because they are low value targets. This is not true. Ransomware does not depend on your data having value to threat actors. It only depends on your data having value to you i.e., how well can your healthcare facility operate if you cannot access all or a majority of your data? Many enterprises will have to admit that they will not be able to operate at all, or will be able to operate with severely diminished capability. Additionally, your organisation may not be the intended victim of the attack but the attack can still spread to your organisation from another victim because we are all digitally interconnected in today’s world. Quick summary: Your facility will be attacked if you are in healthcare, and the attack will most probably be ransomware. With that out of the way, let us look at what your healthcare facility can do to defeat ransomware.
What is ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware, which restricts users from accessing their own PCs / laptops. It is observed to be spreading through a computer worm and email attachments. Generally, it infects the system and demands some form of compensation (or ransom) in order to remove the restriction.
