Below is part of a recent story (Full Article) about a Los Angeles hospital which had it’s data compromised and paid a ransom in order to get it back. Unfortunately this is not an uncommon scenario. In many cases Imagineering is called in after the fact, in order to prevent attacks in the future. Our advice? Don’t wait. Call Imagineering today for a full security review.
Recently a Los Angeles hospital paid hackers $17,000 to regain control of its computers. This is an example of a “ransomware” attack.
Ransomware Explained: A typical attack starts when a person opens an emailed link or attachment. Malicious code locks the computer — or, worse, an entire network. Victims pay hackers for a “key” to unlock their machines — and may be desperate to do so if they have not diligently backed up their data and networks.
One reason hackers are attracted to ransomware is that it can be created with relative ease — do-it-yourself ransomware kits are available — and the return on investment can be strong.
To launch a ransomware campaign that lasts one month might cost $5,900, and generate about $90,000 in revenue, according to projections by the cyber security firm Trustwave.
The best defense against a ransomware attack is not to click on unknown links and attachments. Intrusion detection systems and firewalls can help if a person does click — but once the ransomware is entrenched, if the system does not have good system backup practices, the choices boil down to paying or never regaining control.
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Associated Press Writers Andrew Dalton and Amanda Lee Myers contributed to this report.
