Last month, Baltimore sustained a ransomware attack on its 911 services, causing the staffer to shift to sluggish manual dispatches. Prior to this attack, a nonprofit healthcare network running multiple hospitals in Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area was targeted.
These ransomware attacks in Baltimore point towards a growing trend in which the operators are targeting public entities where digital networks and data are very crucial for day-to-day functions because it increases the chances of getting ransom money from the targeted entities for ransomware removal.
Ransomware Repairs Take Time
We have seen it in the cases of Colorado and Atlanta where ransomware repairs took several days for completion. If healthcare organizations and emergency services such as 911 choose to go for professional ransomware repair, then this much of downtime for can become a nightmare for their operations. This aggravated situation might push administrators of the targeted organizations to pay ransom for a quick restoration of their networks.
It’s Also Easy for Ransomware Attackers
There is another reason why ransomware operators are focusing on organizations where public services are rendered. Majority of these entities are reliant on their data and networks for day-to-day operations and unfortunately their staffers haven’t adapted according to the contemporary sensitive cyber environment.
In such a condition, the cyber security of an organization is as good as the pertinent knowledge of its least tech savvy employee. This means there are higher chances that the social engineering tactics used by ransomware operators will succeed in facilitating the transmission of ransomware code. A random click on a malicious email or an attachment can bring down the whole network, given that the ransomware is complex and penetrative.
Taking a Flier by Paying Ransom?
Aside from setting bad precedent of dealing with criminals, there are no guarantees that the targeted organization will get back their locked down files even after the payment of ransom. For that matter, security experts and law enforcement agencies always advise to go for legitimate ransomware repair and removal measures. Meanwhile, organizations should continue to beef up their cyber security, educate employees regarding latest threats and establish data backups.
