The fallout after a ransomware attack is more devastating than previously thought. New data spells out what you should really expect after being hit with ransomware.
When we consider what happens after a ransomware attack, we normally think about remediation steps – recovering from backup, dealing with the data breach, addressing any public-facing issues, etc. But new data from Keeper Security’s 2021 Ransomware Impact Report highlights some of the forgotten impacts to an organization’s productivity post-attack:
- Over three-quarters (77%) were unable to access needed systems or networks.
- 28% of outages lasted over a week.
- 26% of organizations were unable to fully perform job duties for at least a week.
- 33% faced difficult learning curves around new protocols.
- 21% were unable to access online tools and applications normally used.
- 36% of user had limited access to IT support for non-security related issues.
According to Keeper Security, 42% of ransomware attacks begin with a phishing email, 23% from a malicious website, and 21% from a compromised password. In each of these cases, social engineering tactics are used to trick users into engaging with content in email and on the web. Users that undergo continual security awareness training are able to differentiate between legitimate and suspicious/malicious content and avoid engaging with malicious links and attachments that are the initial action that results in a ransomware attack.
It’s evident, organizations suffer materially after a ransomware attack. It’s the very reason why it’s so important to take steps to ensure one never happens in your organization.
