Bigger than Texas?

by | Aug 22, 2019 | News

Its easy to think of security as something that’s only for larger organisations. They can afford the fancy systems that lock down networks, wireless connections and endpoint PCs & mobile devices.

After all, aren’t they the only organisations that hackers target? We’ve debunked that myth many times, pointing out how hackers attack SMEs in mass, counting on reduced security devices, and aiming to get you to pay them ransomware or to redirect payments from your organisation to theirs.

We’ve also pointed out how hackers are now crafting their attacks, personalising them to organisations and making them harder to detect.

That’s been crippling the state of Texas. Some 23 local government agencies were hit by the attacks – which are said to have come from the same threat actor – although state IT systems and networks are not affected

In the US, local government bodies are coming under increasing attack, with cyber-criminals betting correctly that poor security practices and under-funding have left them particularly exposed to ransomware. We can expect the same here in NZ.

Ransomware is one of the trickiest of cyber threats because just relying on routine backups may not be enough to not protect you. Backups need to be clean and have been done prior to infection. Discuss your backup architecture with a professional to be sure you are truly creating a clean version of your data each time you back everything up.

What You Can Do

Local government bodies are coming under increasing attack in the US, with cyber-criminals betting correctly that poor security practices and under-funding have left them particularly exposed to ransomware.

Ransomware is one of the trickiest of cyber threats because just relying on routine backups may not be enough to not protect you. Backups need to be clean and have been done prior to infection. Discuss your backup architecture with a professional to be sure you are truly creating a clean version of your data each time you back everything up.  We recommend our KARE for Security to increase your levels of protection.

Read the BBC coverage here