Ransomware attacks are increasing daily, and this trend will likely not decrease in the upcoming years. This year, the number of ransomware attacks increased by 13%. One popular method attackers are using these days is phishing emails. It is the easiest way to trick someone, and employees become easy targets.
Lack of awareness, poor email security practices, and lack of backup data create chaos within an organization, and they agree to fulfill the hackers’ terms to get their data back. Here are some safety tips an organization should know to prevent ransomware email attacks in the future.
Can you get Ransomware through Emails?
Ransomware can significantly impact all businesses, regardless of their size. All personal, corporate, financial, employee, and customer data and intellectual property are taken hostage by ransomware. Now, hackers use phishing emails to spread ransomware on their devices. Proofpoint finds that phishing emails contain malicious attachments, and employees accidentally or intentionally click on them, bringing havoc to the entire organization.
Not only is an organization’s data lost, but it also loses its valued customers and a good reputation in the market. Even worse, the hackers don’t return or sell the data on the dark web even after paying the ransom.
Cybersecurity Ventures predicted ransomware attacks would likely cost businesses $256 billion by 2031. One reason is the new trends that cyber criminals adopt; luckily, they have become successful. Previously, hackers sent malicious attachments to launch successful ransomware attacks. But now, they use another interesting trick to target more people and their devices.
The LockBit ransomware affiliates are disguising their malware as copyright claims. These emails warned the recipient about a copyright violation, allegedly using media files without the creator’s license.
They urge the recipient to remove the infringing content from their websites, or they will face legal action. These emails often include a link that needs to be viewed or downloaded, which is where employees can make a mistake.
The latest ransomware attack tactics can halt businesses and set an entire organization on the brink of failure. Thus, it becomes imperative to take action against these attacks.
Signs to Detect Ransomware Emails
Ransomware emails are no different from phishing emails, so the signs are similar. Like any other cyber-attack, to prevent the ransomware email attack, employees within an organization must be able to detect it. Here are a few notable signs to detect an email that can infect your device with ransomware:
- If you receive an email from an unknown source containing any attachment or file they ask you to download, be careful; it is a sign of an email attack.
- The hackers use catchy email subjects that require urgent responses. If you receive such an email, it is another indication that hackers are waiting for you to access your data.
- Most email attacks are a result of compromised credentials. The attacker may have emailed you after stealing your work colleague’s credentials. Confirm with your colleague if they have sent the email in such cases.
- Hackers who send fake emails usually lack a strong grasp of English. Thus, their emails are full of typos and grammatical mistakes.
The above signs indicate that a possible ransomware email attack is coming and raise the need to take immediate action against them.
How to fight against Ransomware Emails
Fighting ransomware email attacks requires a holistic approach that brings together all organizations on one page. Here are the seven tips organizations can practice to stop and limit the effects of ransomware email attacks.
1. Robust Email Security
A robust email security culture prevents fake emails from landing in your inbox. Every employee within the organization must be able to detect suspicious-looking emails and investigate various aspects of them to decide whether to respond to them.
For instance, they must look at the URL of the email before clicking on it. Carefully read every letter and line of the email to analyze if it comes from a credible source or if a hacker designed it. If the email matches the signs of a ransomware email, delete it immediately.
Besides this, employees must report to the security team or the department responsible for network security. So, if your company is overlooking email security, it’s better to prioritize it than anything else.
2. Use Advanced Sandboxing Technique
Organizations can reduce the risk of ransomware emails by using the sandbox technique. A sandbox is a malware detection system that runs a suspicious object in a virtual machine and analyzes it for any malicious activity. It analyzes and inspects the email URLs, files, and links received via email for potential malware.
If the sandbox system successfully detects the presence of ransomware, it blocks any future malicious emails and ensures that such emails don’t reach your inbox.
3. Use DMARC
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is an email authentication protocol that defends against direct domain spoofing. This protocol can easily detect an email sent by any unauthorized sender of that domain.
In response, it either discards or blocks any further messages from receiving. It is a great way to detect ransomware phishing emails that hackers often send by pretending to be from your business partner. Thus, any company using DMARC can easily prevent phishing emails.
4. Backup Your Data
If a ransomware email attack succeeds, hackers will first target business data. Thus, creating data backups in multiple places, like local disks and cloud servers, can help organizations limit the effects of fake email attacks.
With backup data, companies can help regain the systems’ functionality even if the hackers lock the data and demand payment of the ransom first.
5. Update The Browser
Browser updates contain vital security patches that fix vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to launch a successful ransomware email attack. It is essential to download the browser updates for your devices as soon as you receive them.
Employees often ignore them, but it’s better to take safety measures before time rather than regretting them later. They can even set the auto-update option if the update notifications often pop up while working on an important task.
It is especially important if employees use Google as their office’s default browser. A vulnerability in the Google browser can expose sensitive data to hackers, who can use it to launch a ransomware email attack.
6. Develop An Incident Response Plan
Organizations are sometimes aware of potential threat activity but cannot address the problem because they lack visibility. An incident response plan can be crucial in enabling security teams to make speedy decisions.
If the security teams respond quickly, it can significantly improve the overall security landscape and prevent potential attacks.
A ransomware incident response plan includes step-by-step guidance for what to do during an email ransomware attack.
7. Comprehensive Cybersecurity Training Programs
A strong cybersecurity culture also helps combat ransomware email attacks. The best way to achieve this is by launching a cybersecurity training program. Employees must be trained to check an email for a possible ransomware attack.
The training programs must be held regularly and designed to engage the employees so they don’t lose interest. In addition, make sure to include a list of policies regarding necessary cybersecurity practices and how vital it is for everyone to follow them.
Above all, remember to use the best anti-ransomware software. This special software is designed to detect and block ransomware before it can access your data. When you receive an email, run a scan, and if the software detects it, immediately delete the email and block the sender.
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About the Author
Danish Shah is a legal and public policy researcher whose work focuses largely on technology regulation. At BeEncrypted, he writes about cybersecurity, Privacy, and VPN encryption. He wants to educate people about online privacy and how to regain it. Aside from his work, Danish enjoys spending time on the Baseball field. He is also an avid streamer and gamer.
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