Being able to recover from ransomware is a critical business need and essential to a good business continuity plan.
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats small and mid-sized businesses face today. Six out of ten businesses hit by ransomware go under within six months of the attack. It’s easy to see why. The average initial ransom demand made by the owners of the widespread Ryuk is $377,000. Small and mid-sized businesses simply don’t have that kind of money lying around, ready to be thrown out the window without repercussions.
Unfortunately, most executives admit they would pay the ransom. This only perpetuates the problem and exposes them to more serious disruptions down the line. The only way to effectively address the threat poses is by implementing comprehensive business continuity solutions. Being able to ensure your business can operate even in the face of a ransomware attack is a key element of business continuity.
Small Businesses Make Tempting Targets for Ransomware Distributors
High-profile attacks regularly make headlines around the world. When government institutions and large enterprises get hit, everyone knows about it. But for every huge organisation that suffers a ransomware-related setback, there are dozens of small businesses that quietly fall apart. Almost 70% of ransomware attacks in 2018 targeted small businesses, and that number is likely to grow once more recent data becomes available.
Attitude is the one factor that makes small and mid-sized businesses so vulnerable. According to our partner Datto, while nine out of ten managed service providers report being “very concerned” about ransomware, less than three out of ten small business executives feel the same way. Fortunately, part of the value that managed service providers offer their clients is protection from ransomware, and this is where Datto technology shines. Business continuity must include ransomware protection in today’s cybercrime landscape.
Datto Ransomware Protection for Small Business
Datto’s business continuity solutions allow organisations to access recovery backups that span their entire technical infrastructure. That means that the moment a business-critical threat triggers, Datto users can simply switch to the last available backup on Datto’s systems and continue working directly off of Datto’s infrastructure.
This is the same kind of business continuity functionality that helps businesses survive earthquakes, fires, volume corruptions, and other large-scale business disasters. Being able to run your entire business infrastructure off of a secure, independent platform ensures that you’re prepared to meet any contingency that comes your way.
Datto goes a step further by regularly running Ransomware Detection checks on the data it stores. These checks will trigger a warning if system files are being overwritten in suspicious or uncharacteristic ways. This tool works because Datto has collected a significant amount of data on how ransomware works, what files ransomware applications typically target, and what files they commonly ignore. Any executable that meets the company’s stringent and continuously updated definition is flagged and brought to your security professional’s attention.
Verify Files with Every Backup
Ransomware Detection verifies every backup that Datto makes on its users’ behalf. This gives it the historical insight it needs to ensure real business continuity. The ability to see how a particular file looked a month ago, a week ago, and a day ago provides the data that Datto’s systems need to warn users when a suspicious change takes place. If you need help with your protection get in touch with the SMB Solutions team to discuss the options best suited for your business.