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The Unsung Hero in the Fight Against Ransomware

November 11th, 2020 by admin

An orange banner stating 'RMM is Key in the Fight Against Ransomware'

In 2019, ransomware attacks impacted 89 college, universities, and school districts, 113 state, and municipal governments and agencies, and 764 healthcare providers - and those are heavily protected organizations! There are countless tools that managed service providers (MSPs) use to protect their business and their clients' businesses from ransomware. A crucial, possibly undervalued tool to aid them in the fight against ransomware is a robust, automated remote monitoring and management (RMM) solution.

Standard RMM tools are known for managing endpoints (computers and servers) remotely, but more sophisticated RMM tools also automate processes and updates. With cybercrime, bring-your-own-device (BYOD), and attacks on businesses all on the rise, a comprehensive RMM solution is more critical than ever.

The facts are clear. One in three security breaches is caused by unpatched vulnerabilities. These are things we catch using our comprehensive remote monitoring and management system and patch proactively, so this can't happen for our clients. Patching is crucial for businesses, but it can be tedious, so this tool ensures systems are constantly up to date to minimize cybersecurity risks. In fact, 60% of security breaches exploited a software vulnerability where a patch was available but had not been applied. That's when our automated RMM steps in to monitor and detect threats, automatically block and restrict suspicious applications, manage and protect the endpoints on our client’s network and quickly respond and recover from any alert.

Graphic showing various ransomware statistics

According to numerous reports, ransomware attacks rose around the world in the third quarter of 2020. Cybersecurity firm SonicWall found that while overall malware volume declined, ransomware attacks jumped 40 percent, reaching 199.7 million attacks. Check Point, a cybersecurity solutions provider, saw a 50 percent increase in the daily average ransomware attacks compared to the first half of 2020. Check Point attributes this to gaps in IT systems created by rapid changes in business structures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Managed service providers (MSPs) are poised to help businesses face the rise in ransomware head-on. Tools and technology are crucial in the fight against ransomware, but it's important to start at the source of many successful attacks: Humans. The better prepared your employees are for an attack-knowing what an attack looks like, how to identify it, and how to respond-the more likely your business will be safe.

Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) is a key component here, providing the ability for you to virtualize clients' servers locally or in the cloud if they're hit with an attack. Bonus points if your BCDR tool includes ransomware detection. With BCDR, you can continue business operations and minimize downtime. Ransomware can spread to SaaS applications like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. If you rely on these apps, a SaaS backup solution should also be considered essential. Finally, web monitoring, email filtering, and of course, antivirus tools are a must.

Request a quote for a full business review now so we can show where you’re vulnerable and present affordable managed solutions to get you back on track.

Posted in: Security, Solutions


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