One of the most recent and extremely public examples of ransomware attacks and cybercrime in the US is the incident that occurred when the Colonial Pipeline was attacked by a cybercrime group known as Darkside. This exposed the dire need for both businesses and the American government to take a proactive approach to combat cyber attacks against critical systems. This particular attack had a very sinister impact, as it impacted millions of people who were dependent on the Colonial Pipeline to deliver gas and oil. Significantly higher costs for fuel and supply issues were just some of the fallouts from this particular attack. However, when it comes right down to it, this incident was much like every other, in that the attackers utilized a vulnerability to achieve their goals.
While the pipeline operator ultimately paid the ransom in cryptocurrency via bitcoin transfer, the damage was still done, and the message was received. The government ended up tracking down the transfers, which were sent to a specific address and used a court-authorized warrant to recover approximately $2.3 million of the $4.4 million that was paid. While this was a successful operation, it is not always possible to recover funds or even prosecute criminals. The best way to protect any organization, be it a business or government entity, is to prevent ransomware attacks from ever happening. In the event that an attack does occur, having a reliable backup and recovery plan is the best way to get everything back up and running once the vulnerability has been identified and repaired.
Cyber criminals often have motives that we don’t quite understand. They are just as likely to attack a small mom-and-pop business as they are a major corporation. Sometimes their attacks are financially motivated, while other times, they just seem to pick someone at random. Cybercrime in the US impacts small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) every single day. For many, this can be life-changing and end up in a significant loss of income or the tragic shuttering of a business as a whole. When you hire Synivate to provide you with a comprehensive strategy for disaster recovery and prevention of cyber-attacks, you don’t just get IT management services but a complete plan and team of professionals who will work with you to protect your business.
We begin by asking each client the essential questions necessary to learn all that we can about their system and office network. We offer a wide range of options, specifically based on your needs, industry, and goals. Each plan that we create takes into consideration every aspect of the network, including all essential data, computer systems, processes, applicable industry requirements, and regulations, as well as any other unique constraints or demands. It is crucial that you do not leave your business exposed to the potential risks that are associated with today’s tech-driven industries.
Contact Synivate today to learn more about all the ways that we can work with you to provide the tools you need to protect everything you have worked so hard to create. Call our team at 617-848-1248 and speak with one of our technicians about creating a backup and recovery plan to help you recover quickly from ransomware attacks and other types of cybercrime in the US. We can answer any questions you might have about disaster recovery solutions for business continuity and provide you with a free, no-pressure consultation.