Ransomware is malicious software that locks your files and demands a ransom (usually in Bitcoin) to unlock them. It has become one of the most widespread forms of cyberattack today.
Ransomware infections can manifest themselves in several ways. Understanding how it spreads is essential for avoiding infections and securing your data.
How Does Ransomware Spread : Social Engineering (Phishing)
One of the most widespread Ransomware infection methods involves social engineering (phishing). Cybercriminals send an email with a link to a legitimate website, along with malicious attachments that install the malware onto users' computers.
Furthermore, ensure that employees are familiar with security measures to mitigate these risks and that your organization has an encouraging security culture.
How Does Ransomware Spread : Malvertising
Malvertising is an often-used infection method by cybercriminals to spread Ransomware and other types of malware. It works by injecting malicious code into digital ads displayed on popular and trusted websites, redirecting users to corrupted web pages, or installing malware directly onto their computers and devices.
Cybercriminals often employ various techniques to carry out their malvertising attacks, such as fileless ad injection and drive-by downloads. They may also use steganography -- an encryption method that embeds a secret message within an array of pixels -- for even more protection. Polyglot images, a more sophisticated type of steganography, can conceal multiple payloads within one infected graphic. This makes it harder for advertising networks and end users to detect malicious ads.
Phishing, another technique employed for infection, involves social engineering to deceive people into downloading malware through email attachments. This is a widely-used infection method and often leads to data theft or exposure of sensitive information.
Conduct regular cyber awareness training, tabletop exercises, and security drills to protect your organization from cyber threats. This will give employees insight into how attacks work, what steps to take if they become exposed, and who to contact in an emergency.
How Does Ransomware Spread : Fileless Attacks
Fileless attacks are one of the most widespread Ransomware infection methods. They involve exploiting vulnerabilities in software and hardware to gain access to systems, then executing malware through memory code injection.
Security professionals must use forensic tools to trace malicious code execution on the network. This can be done by combining data from various logs and other evidence collected on the system.
These traces can then be used to identify the attacker and monitor their infection process. While this method is effective, it requires considerable work from security professionals.
Modern hackers continue to find inventive ways of circumventing traditional antivirus solutions, making it essential for companies to update and patch their systems regularly.
Another way to protect against such attacks is investing in cybersecurity awareness training. This will teach employees the significance of using secure websites and not opening email attachments. Furthermore, it helps them prevent phishing scams that could spread malicious code.
Remote Desk Protocol
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a standard protocol that enables users to connect to other computers using their Windows operating system. This has become an indispensable way for employees to collaborate and access their computers remotely.
RDP is an especially vulnerable attack vector, leaving organizations open to ransomware infections, credential theft, and other cyberattacks. This is because RDP is exposed to the Internet on port 3389, and many organizations allow it to traverse directly into their internal networks.
The primary rule of RDP security is never to expose it to the Internet. This is because social engineering, lack of security patches, zero-day exploits, credentials on dark websites, and insecure password management could all allow an attacker to gain access through RDP.
Another vulnerability exists due to RDP servers supporting clipboard redirection, which allows users to copy and paste content between computers. This makes it simple for malicious individuals to copy and paste sensitive system information like credentials or files.
RDP is vulnerable to heap overflow attacks, which could allow an attacker to compromise a host and execute code. Thus, patching and updating vulnerable hosts is essential. Furthermore, RDP servers should be hardened by only having access to their local network for protection.
Drive-By Downloads
Drive-By Downloads are a common Ransomware infection method, enabling cybercriminals to infect systems without user input. They can be installed by exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated applications, browsers, operating systems, or plugins like Flash and JavaScript.
Malware like spyware, remote-access software, keyloggers, and botnet toolkits can be installed along with viruses, Ransomware, and more to encrypt data, launch distributed denial-of-service attacks, or steal passwords.
Automated patching systems guarantee that operating systems, browsers, and office applications are updated instantly when security patches are available for various vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, an effective ad blocker can help shield your system from this malware infection. Ads often trigger drive-by download attacks due to their inconspicuous appearance on your screen and the temptation to click them.
By employing the strategies outlined above and training your end users to recognize potentially unsafe sites, browser extensions, and links, you can reduce your vulnerability to being breached. Additionally, this will shield your systems from future attack vectors like malicious email attachments or links sent through social media channels.
Pirated Software
Software piracy is illegally distributing commercial software without the author's authorization. It is an issue that affects nearly everyone and must be tackled to combat it.
Pirated software is a major source of malware, which can lead to infections and system disruptions. Therefore, it's essential to avoid it whenever possible; instead, install software that has been updated regularly and has full security installed.
How Does Ransomware Spread : Network Propagation
Ransomware is malicious software that locks files until a victim pays a ransom to unlock them. Hackers widely used Network Propagation attacks to hack corporate networks and data centers.
Ransomware can spread within a network via USB drives and other removable media. Hackers typically infect these devices with Ransomware and then find ways to connect them to computers or other devices, spreading the malware across the network.
Ransomware can also spread via malicious apps and websites on the Internet (known as "malvertising") and pirated software that does not receive updates from its manufacturer with security patches and fixes.
