Ransomware, more and more frequent

Ransomware is malicious software that is installed on a computer and encrypts the data stored on it. It is therefore impossible to access these files without paying a ransom to the software publisher. Although software requires permission before being installed, some installs automatically without the user noticing. Payment is made by crypto currency thus becoming untraceable. As the ransoms rise, some companies go bankrupt even without paying. Indeed, they are paralyzed by the confiscation of their data. The downtime can also be very long, which will impact the company's production. So whatever it does, the business will be really impacted by the attack.

Anssi says ransom ware is getting more and more sophisticated. In addition, they are now targeting large companies and asking for exorbitant amounts of money. In partnership with the Department of Criminal Affairs and Pardons (DACG) of the Ministry of Justice, Anssi has published some awareness pages for the fight against ransomware.

Reduce risk and respond to ransomware

To reduce the risk of attacks, Anssi offers to regularly store company data on external servers in order to have back-up solutions in the event of an attack. This would therefore serve as a relay for companies. It is also necessary to update the software and the security system of the company in order to detect and remedy flaws. Anssi also offers employee awareness raising in order to prevent attacks. Indeed, ransomware is often installed on computers by employees without them knowing anything. Partitioning of the various workstations and networks is also recommended. This helps prevent a chain reaction in the event of an attack.

If the company is the victim of an attack, the first instinct is to record information about the incidents such as the date, the exact time and other facts. This makes it easier for the administration to take decisions. Even though the encrypted data is also unusable, it is important to keep it. Indeed, many means are implemented in order to decrypt this data. The Anssi also imposes never to pay the ransom in order not to favor this kind of attacks. In addition, data recovery is not guaranteed, and costs can quickly double. Some of the restored data will also be lost or unusable. Besides having paid a considerable sum, the company will lose a lot of time and money due to the downtime and will also lose some of its master data.