5. Take regular backups
The best way to mitigate the fallout from a ransomware attack is to be prepared. That means backing up data frequently and replicating copies both to an offsite location and the cloud. Organizations will need to establish their recovery point objective (RPO) and recovery time objective (RTO) and ensure their backup solution can meet them. They should also look for a backup solution that takes regular, immutable snapshots that can’t be deleted or altered, preventing crypto-ransomware encryption. That way, organizations know their backed-up data is always safe, accessible, and recoverable.
6. Count on the cloud
Cloud storage gives organizations fast access to offsite data and is one of the pillars of a sound backup strategy. Cloud storage can also be less expensive than on-premises storage while adding an additional layer of protection. And, while even cloud-based data can be infected with ransomware that’s uploaded with a backup, sound backup practices—see #5 above—can overcome just about any attack.
7. Don’t pay the ransom
While an attack will cause major problems, we recommend that organizations never pay a ransom. Cybercriminals often don’t give access even if companies do pay. It’s worth considering getting ransomware insurance to help mitigate the damage.
8. Be proactive
While all these strategies are important for protecting against ransomware, organizations may still fall victim to a successful attack. That’s where planning makes the difference. With the right hardware, software, and best practices in place, they can recover quickly with minimal damage done. We suggest it’s time for every healthcare organization to get a serious security-health check-up that ensures they have a healthy security posture that can withstand even the most sophisticated ransomware attacks.
About the author: Shridar Subramanian is the chief medical officer at StorageCraft.
Back to HCB News
