It is very likely that you have been listening a lot these new odd words lately: Ransomware, Meltdown or Spectre, asking yourself what in the world can they be, and why such big buzz about them. According to Online Trust Alliance, Cyber incidents that target businesses, have almost doubled from 82,000 in 2016 to 159,700 in 2017, that, among other facts is why these phenomena are raging and you would hear a lot more from them in the future if you haven´t already.
Picture Credit : Background image created by Kjpargeter – Freepik.com
What it is all about
Ransomware is defined as a new modern way of extortion, it is a software specifically made to hijack your most valuable information and then, extortion in return of regular currencies or cryptocurrencies, generally bitcoins, another trendy word.
Bitcoin has become the most common currency for ransomware burglars to demand their fee for returning encrypted information to victims, and the hard-to-trace nature of this cryptocurrency has played an important role in the rise of Ransomware. It is now for a fact an inferred threat for all companies, or individuals and their data.
Meltdown and Spectre are hardware vulnerabilities, found recently in almost all commercial processors and microprocessors, affecting a wide range of operative systems and also the cause of some significant computer processing slow-downs and, considered “catastrophic” by security analysts.
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich has announced: “We’ve been around the clock with our customers and partners to address the security vulnerability know as Spectre and Meltdown. While we made progress, I’m acutely aware that we have more to do, we’ve committed to being transparent keeping our customers and owners appraised of our progress and through our actions, building trust”.
Should we all be worried?
The answer is: YES! We are all vulnerable to this peril and should be very aware that our most treasured asset, our data, is at risk. Can it be prevented? Also yes. Online Trust Alliance states that 93% of all breaches in 2017 could have been easily avoided by implementing simple cyber hygiene habits, like regularly updating software, blocking fake email messages, and training employees to recognize phishing attacks.
How to get prepared
There are five easy steps to perform steadily to improve cyber hygiene and dodge these threats.
- Keep your Software always up to date.
- Execute regular backups.
- Always use an up to date Antivirus.
- Use secure strong passwords.
- Beware of online threats.
Piece of cake, right?
Wrapping up
So more than ever, your Data needs the best of your attention, in this fast-paced world of digital transformation and connectivity. Keeping it at its best is a guaranty to thrive in the constantly changing world of business.
Data Ladder is a data quality software company dedicated to helping business users get the most out of their data through data matching, profiling, deduplication, and enrichment tools. Whether it’s matching millions of records through our fuzzy matching algorithms, or transforming complex product data through semantic technology, Data Ladder’s data quality tools provide a superior level of service unmatched in the industry.
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Related Sources:
2017 was ‘worst year ever’ in data breaches and cyberattacks, thanks to ransomware
Ransomware: Why the crooks are ditching bitcoin and where they are going next
What is ransomware? How it works and how to remove it
Instagram Just Revealed That Hackers Infiltrated ‘High-Profile’ Accounts
How much control do we have over our data?
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