Ransomware threatens to disrupt businesses, potentially even close them down and in some cases, prevent critical, life saving care. There was a 95% increase year-over-year on ransomware leak sites in 2023, with many attacks increasing against law firms and municipalities, according to a Corvus insurance Q3 2023 report. Recently, online systems at three hospitals in Germany were shut down due to a ransomware attack leading to a loss of critical patient care.
In response to this trend, a new guide aims to assist organizations through all stages of a ransomware attack, including how to prevent them and steps to recover from an attack. The 2024 Ransomware Hostage Rescue Manual, from security awareness training and simulated phishing platform provider KnowBe4, includes a Ransomware Attack Response Checklist.
“The Ransomware Hostage Rescue Manual was developed to provide organizations with the latest tactics and techniques available to effectively fight the latest threats stemming from ransomware attacks,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4.
“These attacks are relentless and have even become life threatening in some instances with critical care equipment such as those in hospitals being shut down or rendered unavailable,” he continued. “KnowBe4 is dedicated to helping to equip workforces with the right knowledge to help their organization fight against social engineering, which is the primary method used by cybercriminals who unleash vicious ransomware attacks.”
Ransomware is a global problem, and no region is free from such attacks. International groups such as the International Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) were formed between governments as coordinated takedowns of groups have occurred, but there is still room for improvement, according to KnowBe4.
Download the KnowBe4 Ransomware Hostage Rescue Manual here.
Read more about cybersecurity and business continuity issues from Continuity Insights.
