Ransomware has grown into a complex and well-orchestrated menace representing serious risks to organizations both large and small. In short, cybercriminals are always getting better and more efficient at what they do. Consequently, the potential for devastating harm only increases, with projections predicting that ransomware will cause $275 billion in damages annually by 2031. A new attack is expected every two seconds by that very year. In this perilous reality, organizations can no longer live in fear but should look to plan ahead to protect their most vulnerable assets.
Experts unanimously recommend that a rock-solid business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) plan is the starting point to safeguard against ransomware. The proposed 3-2-1-1-0 strategy offers a tangible, easy-to-understand blueprint for any organization to use to start strengthening their data security practices. This method points out the downright importance of having three copies of your data. Keep them on at least two different formats and have one copy off-site. The strategy is further strengthened through the addition of an immutable backup. This backup is an immutable copy, meaning it can’t be modified or erased, adding another layer of protection.
Understanding Ransomware’s Impact
Ransomware’s confusing guardrail-free-shooting-range nature makes it even more difficult for organizations to understand how they can best protect themselves. Cybercriminals use more sophisticated, precise, and widespread tactics to breach operations that no longer leave any organization out of reach from an attack. Over the last year, Entra ID prevented an average of 7,000 password attacks per second. This staggering number underscores how connected and susceptible to cyber threats end users truly are. These attacks can cause crippling downtime and data loss, underscoring the need for organizations to focus on recovery instead of reaction.
Unfortunately, most organizations are not equipped to keep up with the speed at which ransomware attacks are changing. The increasing sophistication of these threats has made prevention increasingly difficult, if not impossible. Developing a strong recovery strategy is just as important as trying to stop every attack. Investing in BCDR solutions is not only the responsible choice. The potential damage from ransomware incidents, both financial and reputational, is much greater than the cost of these solutions.
Implementing the 3-2-1-1-0 Strategy
The 3-2-1 backup rule has historically been considered a gold standard of data protection. Experts now advocate for an enhanced version: the 3-2-1-1-0 strategy. This strategy protects three copies of your data. It stores them on two different types of media, makes sure one copy is off-site, and has one immutable backup. This second line of defense protects sensitive information, even as attackers may successfully infiltrate the system.
Immutable backups are especially important in today’s cybersecurity landscape. They work as a fail-safe against ransomware attacks that try to delete or change backup files. By making this piece a priority in their BCDR strategy, organizations will not only dramatically increase their safety, but they can help create resilience as a whole.
Additionally, organizations should be pushing for solutions that have a hardened Linux architecture. This strategy plays an important role in providing additional ransomware protection by camouflaging and isolating backups apart from the standard Windows attack surface. Using this approach increases the level of protection and makes it more difficult for an attacker to retrieve sensitive information.
The Importance of Continuous Planning
Organizations need to be aware of the constantly evolving ransomware trends and tactics and modify their defensive strategies accordingly. This is not just a one day effort, but an everyday dedication to promoting a safe place to live and work.
That’s where education comes in and it’s essential. Staff must be trained on best practices for identifying and reporting suspicious activity and addressing it without escalation. And today, cybercriminals tend to focus on the end user as the first attack vector. By educating your staff on these scams, you’re adding an additional defense against them.