Countering the ransomware threat
The risks of becoming a victim of a ransomware attack continue to increase as criminals exploit organisational vulnerabilities and typically use spear-phishing emails to target potential victims. According to Europol cases have been rising alarmingly in the past few months and have brought critical activities such as hospitals and governments to a standstill.
Garmin was a recent victim of a cyber attack that encrypted some of their systems. The alleged ransomware attack is thought to be the work of ‘Evil Corp’, a group of Russian hackers that allegedly mainly targets US corporations. Garmin services started to go offline on Thursday 23 July 2020 and many of the most popular services, including Garmin Connect and most of the Strava integrations, were unavailable to users over the weekend period. According to Garmin ‘Affected systems are being restored and we expect to return to normal operation over the next few days.’
To counter ransomware a free scheme called No More Ransom is helping victims fight back without paying the hackers. Since its launch four years ago the No More Ransom decryption tool repository has registered over 4.2 million visitors from 188 countries and has stopped an estimated $632 million in ransom demands from ending up in criminals’ pockets.
Powered by the contributions of its 163 partners, the portal has added 28 tools in the past year and can now decrypt 140 different types of ransomware infections. The portal is available in 36 languages. All the key figures can be seen in Europol’s dedicated infographic.
How No More Ransom works
No More Ransom is the first public-private partnership of its kind helping victims of ransomware recover their encrypted data without having to pay the ransom amount to cybercriminals.
To do this, simply go to the website nomoreransom.org and follow the Crypto Sheriff steps to help identify the ransomware strain affecting the device. If a solution is available, a link will be provided to download for free the decryption tool.
Prevention remains the best cure
No More Ransom goes a long way to help people impacted by ransomware, but there are still many types of ransomware out there without a fix. Fortunately, there are some preventative steps you can take to protect yourself from ransomware:
- Always keep a copy of your most important files somewhere else: in the cloud, on another drive offline, on a memory stick, or on another computer.
- Use reliable and up-to-date anti-virus software.
- Do not download programs from suspicious sources.
- Do not open attachments in e-mails from unknown senders, even if they look important and credible.
- And if you are a victim, do not pay the ransom!
Do you have an innovative solution for ransomware families not covered yet in the portal to help victims recover their files without giving into the demands of the criminals? If so then Europol would like to hear from you.
What is Ransomware?
The EAST Payments Task Force (EPTF) defines ransomware as ‘A type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid.’ It is a form of data compromise. An overview of all EAST Fraud Definitions can be seen here.
Tips and Advice From Europol
