Security researchers at Cisco Talos report that ransomware is considered the top threat in cyberspace, despite its slight decline in 2023. According to the report, ransomware attacks increased significantly in Q4 2023, with the education sector being one of the biggest targets for hackers.
Ransomware activity was the most observed threat in Q4 2023. This activity increased by 17%, compared to Q3 of the year. Specifically, the researchers said that many ransomware groups were active last quarter, but the ones that were most active were Play, Cactus, BlackSuit, and NoEscape. ALPHV (BlackCat), for example, was “not observed” by the researchers this quarter.
See also: Faust, Kasseika, Kuiper: New ransomware gangs in the threat landscape
While construction companies have long been one of the most targeted industries, education has seen a surge this quarter. Both sectors accounted for nearly 50% of the total number of incidents detected.
Typically, attackers used compromised credentials on valid accounts for initial access or exploited vulnerabilities in software and applications. Both of these methods accounted for 28% of cases. Remote access software such as ScreenConnect, SplashTop and AnyDesk were used in nearly a quarter of attacks this quarter.
Additionally, the failure to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) was the biggest security weakness, something that was observed throughout 2023.
Therefore, businesses and the education sector need to take some protective measures to avoid ransomware attacks.
See also: Akira ransomware: Cyberattack on Bucks County emergency system
The first measure is to use strong and unique credentials and enable MFA on employee accounts wherever and whenever possible.
Additionally, implementing ransomware protection technologies, such as regular software updates, the use of antivirus software , and intrusion detection systems are essential to prevent cyberattacks.
See also: NoName ransomware: Many organizations on its victim list
It is also necessary to invest in training staff to recognize and avoid phishing attacks , which are often the gateway for ransomware.
Finally, regularly backing up data ensures that the company will be able to recover its data in the event of attack .
Source: www.techradar.com
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