Signaling greater U.S. government involvement in cybersecurity, President Biden in his first State of the Union address last night mentioned bolstering cybersecurity through such measures as making security jobs accessible, combating cyber interference from Russia, and mitigating nation-state threats.
Biden’s address comes as both the federal government and industry ramp up efforts to take on ransomware.
In an internal memo sent to DOJ staff last week, Acting Deputy Attorney General John Carlin detailed the precarious position citizens, companies, and even government agencies have been put in due to advanced extortion attempts using ransomware:
“By any measure, 2020 was the worst year ever when it comes to ransomware and related extortion events…And if we don’t break the back of this cycle, a problem that’s already bad is going to get worse.”
The internet is fraught with peril these days, but nothing strikes more fear into users and IT security pros than the threat of ransomware.
A ransomware attack is about as bad as a cyber attack can get. It can shut down your business – in the case of healthcare organizations that can be life-threatening for patients – damage your reputation with customers and employees, and invite further attacks as cybercriminals view your organization as an easy mark.
Here, then, is a comprehensive look at ransomware, what it is, how to prevent it, and what to do if you become one of its unfortunate victims.