Here is Full Guidance on How to Prevent Ransomware Data Breaches – CISA

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has posted guidance to help government and private sector associations avoid any data hijacking resulting from ransomware double extortion schemes. CISA guidance sheet consists of best tactics for preventing ransomware attacks and securing the information from removing trials.

The federal agency concerned these recommendations in revert to most ransomware groups are utilizing data hijacking from their victim’s networks as an advantage in ransom compromise under the threat of publishing the hijacked information on dedicated leak sites.

“Ransomware is a deliberate and increasing threat to all government and private sector organizations, consisting of sensitive frameworks organizations,” CISA added. “All the associations are at high risk of falling victim to a ransomware incident and are responsible for securing sensitive and personal information preserved on their systems.”

How to Stop Ransomware and Secure Information?

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CISA strengthens associations to apply suggestions shared in the info sheet published on Wednesday created to streamline the process of avoiding and responding to ransomware-caused data hijacking.

On the advice included to avoid ransomware attacks, CISA states that at risks organizations should:   

  • Handle offline, encoded backups of information and constantly test backups
  • Generate, handle, and exercise a basic cyber incident response plan, resiliency plan, and associated communications plan
  • Practice good cyber hygiene (use up-to-date anti-malware solutions and applications allow listing, enable MFA, and limit the number of privileged accounts)
  • Mitigate internet-facing vulnerabilities and misconfigurations to reduce the attack vector
  • Reduce the risk of phishing emails from reaching end users by enabling strong spam filters and implementing user awareness and training programs

Moreover, information on how to fight against and revert to ransomware attacks is available in the fact sheet and on CISA’s currently launched StopRansomware.gov web portal.

Actively Effort to Defend Off the Escalating Ransomware Threat

CISA’s ransomware data hijack guidance pursues an almost constant barrage of ransomware attacks targeting the US public and private sectors in previous years.

For instance, the networks of Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and Kasey customers were hit by a string of ransomware attacks within just two months.

Since last December 2019, CISA has been concerned with numerous alerts to private industry partners, initiating with information on LockerGoga and MegaCortex targeting across the world associations and a ransomware attack against a US natural gas negotiation facility, part of the sensitive US frameworks sector.

Earlier this month, CISA revealed the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) collaboration across both public and private sectors concentrate on preventing sensitive frameworks from ransomware attack against a US natural gas compression facility, part of the sensitive US framework sector.

The federal agency also released a new ransomware self-assessment security audit tool in June to help at-risk organizations understand how well they’re equipped to defend against and recover from ransomware attacks targeting their information technology (IT), operational technology (OT), or industrial control system (ICS) assets.

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