Tag Archive for: PROTECTION.

Data protection in 2023 was all about resilience – Blocks and Files

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Recovering from data loss and ransomware are the gifts that keep on giving … for data protection suppliers, that is.

Compared to a year ago, there is now more data to protect and more threats against it, making favorable market conditions for the suppliers. The data protection world in 2023 was dominated by dealing with cyber resilience, extending backup’s remit to cover SaaS applications, and seeking new archive technologies to fix tape’s flaws.

Virtually every backup supplier has now added security features to protect against ransomware and other malware attacks on data. Cyber resilience is the name of the backup game, and resilience is starting to look like an over-used word. For example:

  • Veeam describes itself as the home of radical resilience. 
  • Cohesity says: “Protection is one thing. Resilience is everything.”
  • Commvault claims it “gives you an unfair advantage to ensure resilience in the face of ransomware and other advanced threats in today’s hybrid world – and tomorrow’s.”
  • Druva says it is “the industry’s leading SaaS platform for data resiliency, and the only vendor to ensure data protection across the most common data risks backed by a $10 million guarantee.”
  • Rubrik greets its website visitors with this message: “Rubrik Security Cloud delivers complete cyber resilience.”
  • Veritas tells its site visitors: “We have a reputation for reliability at scale, which delivers the resilience our customers need against the disruptions threatened by cyberattacks, like ransomware.”

To keep protected data resilient, suppliers typically offer immutable backups and backup health checks, providing known good files, for example. Focus has extended from ransomware attack prevention to ransomware attack recovery, with some guarantees that such recovery is dependable.

No magic anti-malware silver technology bullet was announced in 2023 by any supplier – because there isn’t one.

SaaS app protection

Technology additions were sought by SaaS app protectors, spearheaded by HYCU. It realized that many SaaS applications stored customer data that was not protected by the provider or by data…

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Eset unifies home digital protection – Gadget

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Eset, a global leader in cybersecurity, has streamlined its digital protection for South African consumers. The company is unifying its consumer product portfolio in three new customer-centric subscription tiers, each designed to offer comprehensive digital life protection. Notable features include a virtual private network (VPN), and a browser privacy and security extension.

Given the increasing reliance on online platforms, safeguarding identities and information is critical. South Africans frequently use online platforms for financial transactions, purchases, and business setups, making them vulnerable to identity theft. Notably, impersonation fraud in SA has surged by 356% from 2022 to 2023.

As cyber threats evolve, there is a growing demand for reliable digital life protection. Eset recognises both the challenges of cybersecurity and the evolving needs of consumers.

“Eset is a global digital security company whose award-winning technology secures over one-billion internet users and hundreds of thousands of businesses,” says  Eset Southern Africa CEO Carey van Vlaanderen. “We’re well aware of consumers’ need for user-friendly security solutions for their digital lives. A simple antivirus is simply not enough anymore.”

Eset home, the new subscription-based offering, provides a comprehensive security management platform with integrated device protection, subscription management, and user-friendly interfaces.

Eset provided the following information on its three subscription tiers and their features:

  1. Eset Home Security Essential:
  • Modern endpoint security with pre, during, and post-execution software scans.
  • Enhanced real-time protection and multilayered defence against threats.
  • Key features include Safe Banking & Browsing, Network Inspector for router security, and new browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
  1. Eset Home Security Premium:
  • Includes all Essential features.
  • Additional functionalities like Password Manager with form completion for time-saving web form entries.
  • Secure Data feature encrypts files and removable media, preventing data theft in case of…

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K-12 schools improve protection against online attacks, but many are vulnerable to ransomware gangs

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Some K-12 public schools are racing to improve protection against the threat of online attacks

By

ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

November 19, 2023, 9:06 AM ET

4 min read

WASHINGTON — Some K-12 public schools are racing to improve protection against the threat of online attacks, but lax cybersecurity means thousands of others are vulnerable to ransomware gangs that can steal confidential data and disrupt operations.

Since a White House conference in August on ransomware threats, dozens of school districts have signed up for free cybersecurity services, and federal officials have hosted exercises with schools to help them learn how to better secure their networks, said Anne Neuberger, the Biden’s administration’s deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology.

Neuberger said more districts need to take advantage of programs available that would better guard against online attackers who are increasingly targeting schools. Their aim is to lock up computer systems, and in some cases, steal and publish sensitive personal information if a ransom is not paid.

“Compromises happens again and again, often in the same way, and there are defenses to protect against it. And here the government has really brought companies together, brought agencies together to deploy some of those,” Neuberger said in an interview. “Don’t give up. Reach out and sign up. And your kids will be a lot safer online.”

The administration announced steps over the summer to help cash-strapped schools, which have been slow to build up cybersecurity defenses. Ransomware attackers, many of whom are based in Russia, have not only forced schools to temporarily close but have exposed a wealth of students’ private information.

Last month, parents sued the Clark County School District in Nevada, alleging a ransomware attack led to the release of highly sensitive information about teachers, students and their families in the country’s fifth largest school district. In another high-profile case this year, hackers broke into the Minneapolis Public Schools system and dumped sexual assault case records and other sensitive files online after the district refused to pay a $1 million ransom.

More than 9,000…

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Stronger ransomware protection finally pays off

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60% of companies are ‘very’ to ‘extremely’ concerned about ransomware attacks, according to latest research from Hornetsecurity.

ransomware protection awareness

Businesses acknowledge ransomware risk

Hornetsecurity revealed that 92.5% businesses are aware of ransomware’s potential for negative impact. Still, just 54% of respondents said their leadership is ‘actively involved in conversations and decision-making’ around preventing such attacks. 39.7% said they were happy to ‘leave it to IT to deal with the issue’.

“Our survey is a timely reminder that ransomware protection is key to ongoing success. Organizations cannot afford to become victims –ongoing security awareness training and multi-layered ransomware protection is critical to ensure there are no insurmountable losses,” said Daniel Hofmann, CEO of Hornetsecurity.

Reassuringly, 93.2% of respondents rank ransomware protection as ‘very’ to ‘extremely’ important in terms of IT priorities for their organization, and 87.8% of respondents confirmed they have a disaster recovery plan in place for a ransomware attack.

However, that leaves 12.2% of organizations without a disaster recovery plan. Of those companies, more than half cited a ‘lack of resources or time’ as the primary reason. Additionally, one-third of respondents said a disaster recovery plan is ‘not considered a priority by management’.

Organizations urged to stay alert as ransomware evolves

Since 2021, Hornetsecurity has found relatively small changes in the percentage of respondents saying their organizations have fallen victim to a ransomware attack: 21.1% in 2021, 23.9% in 2022, but a new low of 19.7% in 2023.

Additionally, companies that reported paying a ransom are down from 9.1% in 2021 to 6.9% in 2023.

Some of the data in this survey show positive results, with most respondents reporting they understand the importance of protection, and a drop in ransomware attack victims in 2023, showing companies are becoming more vigilant in their data protection.

However, ransomware attacks continue to evolve, so organizations must maintain this vigilance. In 2023, 81% of respondents reported they are receiving end-user training in comparison to 2021,…

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