Ransomware is the dreaded word that nobody wants to hear. We warned you that ransomware was going to continue to be a threat in 2020, and the fact that it took a huge increase by the end of 2019 only justifies that prediction.
Here’s what you need to know:
- The average ransom payout doubled from Quarter 3 to Quarter 4 in 2019. It was $41,198 in Q3 and $84,116 in Q4.
- The ransom amount increase is due to two main ransomware groups changing their approach by now attacking large enterprises.
- Ransomware is mostly due to forced weak RDP credentials, or purchasing stolen RDP credentials. This tactic occurs successfully more than 50% of the time, followed by phishing and the exploitation of software vulnerabilities.
- Even after the ransom is paid, there isn’t a guarantee that you will be supplied with valid keys to decrypt your files. Almost always, data is still lost.
- The average downtime from a ransomware attack has also increased from Quarter 3 to Quarter 4 in 2019. It was about 12.1 days of downtime in Q3, and 16.2 days in Q4.
It’s important to note that these findings are based on ransomware attacks that have been recorded through a particular ransomware recovery company. Many companies deal with the attacks privately, which means that the overall average numbers are realistically much larger than what is recorded.
You can easily avoid a ransomware attack by having a proper Cybersecurity plan in place. CATS Technology Solutions Group has certified Cybersecurity Technicians who will monitor your systems 24/7. Just recently, CATS Technology partnered with Huntress to continue to make sure your systems are safe.
What is Huntress? Stay tuned for our next blog post!
