You will be aware of the recent Ransomware attack on the US Government during which hackers, Darkside, held the operators of the US’s largest oil pipeline to ransom, causing major disruption. Operations are now being restored however the US government has allegedly paid $5M for the privilege to reopen.
This may all seem light years away from what could happen to your business, but sadly, that’s not so. The following report, covered by the BBC recently, is the red flag that shows we need to be more vigilant than ever before.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56933733
This report, which centres on an update from the Ransomware Task Force (RTF) – a collaborated effort to fight cyber crime involving Microsoft, Amazon, the FBI and the UK’s National Crime Agency – reveals that the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre alone has handled more than three times as many ransomware incidents in 2020 than in the previous year.
It also includes a short interview with Martin Kelterborn, the chief executive of Offix, a Swiss-based medium-sized enterprise of 230 employees, that was brought to a standstill by a Ransomware attack. The video interview with Martin is hard to watch but worth it, if only to show how prevalent the threat is and how devastating an attack can be to businesses the size of yours and mine.
Lock the door
If you haven’t already, go through Cyber Essentials Accreditation Level One. We are qualified to lead you through this and it is the absolute best way to leave no stone unturned when it comes to securing your business. We are also finding more and more businesses are requiring their suppliers to have this accreditation.
Expect the unexpected
Cyber criminals are always one step ahead of any line of defence. That’s how it works. In the worst case scenario, you will need to be insured.
Please get in touch for a confidential chat if you think we can help you protect your business further.
