How Does Ransomware Breach a Computer?
As ransomware makes the news across the country for hijacking data and holding it for ransom, may computer users wonder how ransomware infects a computer. Well, like any type of modern malicious software, ransomware often uses deceit. One way or another, hackers trick computer users into installing ransomware.
After ransomware breaches a network’s security, it can spread to multiple computers in an organization, including backup servers. And while most news stories show ransomware striking large organizations, the malicious software can also infect small businesses and individuals with devastating effects.
The best way to stop ransomware is to use a ransomware scanner that analyzes a potentially malicious program’s overall structure, programming logic, and data to stop ransomware in its tracks. It would also help if you also created encrypted backups with multiple barriers to recover data after an attack. Additionally, you should also learn about some of the following common ransomware threat vectors to learn how to shield your systems.
RDP Ports
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is Microsoft’s propriety protocol that allows remote connections to other computers. Most ransomware attacks employ a backdoor approach that takes advantage of vulnerabilities in RDP software.
In fact, security researchers uncovered 25 vulnerabilities in popular RDP clients for businesses such as FreeRDP, Microsoft’s built-in RDP, and the open-source RDP client, Rdesktop. Organizations can protect RDP with firewalls, stronger passwords, RDP monitoring tools, scans, and multi-factor authentication.
Trojans
You’ve probably heard of the Trojan horse Greek mythology. As the story goes, the Greeks used a giant wooden horse that secretly carried soldiers to breach the defenses of the city of Troy. The people of Troy opened their gates and brought the horse in, not aware of the dangers it held. Similarly, Trojan horse malware disguises itself as legitimate software.
Trojan malware that drops ransomware usually arrives as an innocent-looking email attachment. For example, the infamous Trojan called TrickBot can propagate through infected attachments and embedded URLs. Likewise, the highly prolific and…
