A ransomware attacker has exploited a security vulnerability, infecting a remote worker’s computer. They’ve encrypted all of the user's files, denying them access. The user is presented with a message explaining that their files will only be decrypted if the victim sends a rather large, untraceable Bitcoin payment.
This might sound like something from a Hollywood movie, but it is a real-world scenario impacting businesses of all sizes across all sectors. A new documentary series produced by Sophos, “Think You Know Ransomware?” takes an inside look at how ransomware works, crippling businesses – and, perhaps most importantly, how to stay protected.
Episode 1, “Origins of Cybercrime,” gives viewers a brief history of cybercrime and ransomware - talking to victims, law enforcement, and cybersecurity experts. Following this is newly released episode 2, “Hunters and Hunted,” which gives a glimpse into the minds of current and former hackers and the direct impact these attacks have had on victims.
Episode 3 will be released on July 5th, concluding with the vulnerabilities of advanced digital infrastructure and the tools available to combat ransomware. All episodes are available for free at www.sophos.com/en-us/content/ransomware-documentary.
Indeed, the rate of ransomware attacks stayed steady at roughly 66 percent of all companies surveyed, according to Sophos’ State of Ransomware 2023 report. What has changed is the scope and scale of the attacks, as cybercriminals are turning to a “cybercrime-as-a-service” mode of operation. This offers a lower barrier of entry for would-be cybercriminals while simultaneously delivering more sophisticated cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity is a complex and demanding practice that can quickly consume the time and resources of a company’s IT department. It also inflicts a lot of worry. Is the network safe? Or is the intruder inside the perimeter, moving from server to server, looking for suitable files to encrypt before demanding a hefty ransom?
Wrapping up the series will be a live panel discussion with Sophos cybersecurity experts Peter Mackenzie, Mat Gangwer, and Joe Levy, who will talk about the realities of ransomware and the importance of adopting proactive cybersecurity measures in this ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.
Protect your customers from ransomware attacks with Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR). Sophos MDR is the most widely used threat hunting, detection, and response service and the most reviewed and top-rated MDR solution on Gartner Peer Insights. It provides a dedicated 24/7 security team to rapidly identify and neutralize complex attacks – including ransomware, network breaches, hands-on keyboard adversaries, and more – all while working with your existing cybersecurity tools.
Sophos offers partners a 24/7 team of 500+ security specialists covering all threat detection and response elements. They can detect a security breach in 1 minute, investigate it in 25 minutes, and remediate it in 12 minutes, on average. This is six times faster than the average response times recorded by the highest-performing internal security operations teams and 25x faster than the industry's median response times. Sophos MDR Complete customers are also backed by a $1M breach protection warranty.
Watch the documentary series to better understand ransomware, the critical importance of adopting proactive cybersecurity measures, and how Sophos can help keep your customers safe.