Listen to Forcepoint‘s CTO Simon Wiseman’s thoughts on why ransomware remains prevalent, its favorite mechanisms used, and strategies that best prevent the attacks.
A glimpse into Simon’s expert insight, is that email is a favorite vehicle for ransomware attacks, with 91% of all cyber attacks beginning with a phishing email to an unexpected victim. If one mail method of attack is successful, and only hits one user, who has the rights to access all the company’s important data, the ransomware can encrypt all of the data.
Simon identifies three ways emails are used in ransomware attacks:
• First, the email lures the recipient to a website to persuade them to download and run some code that is the ransomware,
• Second, the attacker sends an email that includes the ransomware and this either runs automatically when the message is opened or the message is phrased to persuade the recipient to open and run it.
• Third, the attacker can get one user to run their code that spreads the ransomware via internal email, or by stealing a victim’s password to access their mailbox.
Many of these attacks get through because they are hard to detect, Simon points out. Although many are stopped by the diligence of the users receiving it, it is extremely inconsistent. To best combat ransomware attacks via email, he offers details of easy processes that are consistent and effective in stopping it.
Find out more at www.forcepoint.com
