A ransomware attack can happen quickly and paralyze a business or company within minutes. Most of the time, these attacks are followed by a ransom note or list of demands from hackers. Many ransomware victims will feel that they must pay the ransom to regain access to their data, but new data shows that may not be the best strategy.
Unfortunately, a survey released this month by the research firm CyberEdge has found that paying cybercriminals during a ransomware attack hardly guarantees that you will recover your files.
A Survey of IT Security Practitioners
A survey released last month polled close to 1,200 IT security practitioners across 17 countries. It revealed that less than half of ransomware victims in 2017 who paid the ransom recovered their files and data.
The survey concluded that timely and routine backups are the best way to ensure you will recover your files in the event of a ransomware attack since backups enable an easy recovery.
The Results of the Ransomware Survey
Statistically, the survey reports that of the 55% of respondents who experienced a ransomware attack in 2017, 38.7% opted to pay the ransom. Only 19.1% of those who paid the ransom, or less than half, were able to recover their data using tools provided by the hackers.
The Ransomware authors either didn’t provide any decryption instructions after payment or provided tools that did not decrypt as promised.
On the bright side, 53.3% of those who were attacked with ransomware and didn’t pay the ransom were able to recover their data using either backups or decryption applications.
Overall, the survey concluded that 27.6% or over a quarter of ransomware victims lost their data in 2017, regardless of if they paid the ransom or not.
How to Prepare for a Ransomware Attack
Implementing the proper defenses before a ransomware attack occurs can make all the difference and ensure that you don’t lose crucial files or information. JDL Group recommends a comprehensive, continuous data backup plan that will regularly test your backups and store your information in a secure location online.
As the results of the survey show, if you or your company’s files are encrypted by a ransomware attack, there is a good chance paying the ransom won’t get your files back. It is vital in today’s landscape to install the proper defenses against ransomware so that it never has a chance to encrypt your data.
Decryption software also appears to be a solid option. Statistically, it proved to be more successful in retrieving victims’ data than paying the ransom’s demands.
Protecting Your Data from Ransomware
Preparing for a ransomware attack and strengthening your network defenses may seem like a difficult task now, but JDL Group can make the entire process simple, quick, and efficient.
We will provide you with the right tools and strategies to recover your data in the event of a ransomware attack, and more importantly, we will work to ensure that a ransomware attack doesn’t happen to you in the first place. Contact us today and start the process.
References:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/only-half-of-those-who-paid-a-ransomware-were-able-to-recover-their-data/
https://www.which.co.uk/news/2018/03/less-than-half-of-ransomware-victims-get-their-files-back/
