Security News > 2021 > February > U.S. Agencies Publish Ransomware Factsheet

The National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force on Friday released a joint-sealed ransomware factsheet detailing common attack techniques and means to ensure prevention and mitigation.

The factsheet has been developed by an interagency group of experts in ransomware, from more than 15 government agencies, and is meant to help increase awareness on the threat that ransomware poses to critical infrastructure.

The two-page document explains that, in addition to encrypting the data on victim systems to make it unusable, ransomware operators might also pressure victims into paying the ransom by threatening to destroy the data or release it to the public.

Ransomware has already had a great impact on the public sector, yet the total costs associated with a ransomware infection are often difficult to calculate, as they involve not only the ransom paid, but also recovery and possibly additional costs.

One U.S. city that refused to pay the 13 Bitcoin ransom to Robin Hood ransomware operators ended up spending more than $9 million to restore systems and services.

Using multi-factor authentication, ensuring that systems are always updated and patched, and keeping data, system images, and configurations backed up should help minimize risks associated with ransomware.

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