Ransomware and new virus strains

[rslade]

Whirlpool has been hit by ransomware.

And a new, and more infectious/transmissible strain of the coronavirus has been discovered in the UK and other countries.

In both cases, my response is: so what? We know how to fix this.

In terms of ransomware, there always has been a fix. Make a backup. It's an old protection, and one that protects against a wide variety of threats. It's not flashy, and it's not the latest new security buzzword. But it works. (And, OK, there are backups that don't work against ransomware, or certain types of ransomware, but there are different types of backups, and having multiple types of backup is yet another form of backup. Redundant backup isn't redundant if you need it.)

In the same way, we know exactly what to do to protect against the novel "novel coronavirus." Yes, it is more transmissible. That means it may spread more rapidly through the population. But that will only happen if we don't take the proper precautions. And we already know what the proper precautions are. Stay home as much as you can. Wash your hands. If you must go out, stay six feet or two metres away from people. (Since the new strain is more infectious, you might want to increase that to eight feet or two and a half metres, just to be on the safe side.) Don't have or go to parties in person. (You can Zoom all you want.) Follow the WHO's Five Heroic Acts. Wear a mask for extra protection. This is not rocket science, and it's not new. We know what to do, and all we have to do is do it.

Yes, it's a pain. Yes, it's inconvenient. (In both cases.) Yes, it's going on for a long time. (Mind you, in terms of the pandemic, it's a lot shorter than either world war ...) But we know what to do. So don't panic, and just do it.

Now go make a backup. And then wash your hands.

[JKWiniger]

@rslade I have to agree and admit that when I have the time I want to dig a lot deeper in ransomware to learn all the attack vectors and where and how places fall short. As far of the virus, to me it's really a wait and see because as far as I have seen they are unsure if the vaccines will be affective against the mutated strains. 

And just to add a little bad humor..

"Now go make a backup. And then wash your hands."

Do we even what to you what you are backing up that you need to wash your hands after?

John-

[rslade]

> JKWiniger (Community Champion) mentioned you in a post! Join the conversation

>   Do we even what to you what you are
> backing up that you need to wash your hands after?

It's people like you what cause unrest ...

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@gmail.com rmslade@outlook.com rslade@computercrime.org
I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong
- Audrey Hepburn
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://twitter.com/rslade
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
https://community.isc2.org/t5/forums/recentpostspage/user-id/1324864413

[rslade]

> Court (Newcomer I) posted a new reply in Industry News on 12-29-2020 11:58 PM in

> Ransomware strains are always evolving.

Well, that's only true of RNA based ransomware. DNA based ransomware is much
more stable, and less likely to develop random mutations.

> As new ransomware variants arise on a
> regular basis, it can be difficult to keep track of the different strains into
> them remotely and manually running an instance of the virus. As new
> Ransomware variants arise on a regular basis, it can be difficult to keep track
> of the different strains. While each of these strains of malware are different

I'm straining to see the point, here.

>   to take advantage of users and hold encrypted data hostage. Here are some of
> the most common types of ransomware out there, Ransomware has been around in
> some form or another for the past two decades

Three. And a bit. Earliest example was 1989.

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@gmail.com rmslade@outlook.com rslade@computercrime.org
Much learning does not teach understanding - Heraclitus
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://twitter.com/rslade
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
https://community.isc2.org/t5/forums/recentpostspage/user-id/1324864413

[GerryS]

We do know how to do both, prevent and recover from both ransomware and the virus.

The old adage an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure comes to mind.

If you can prevent it you're better off than having to recover from it.

How much comes down to a matter of trust and communication?

Does your staff believe and trust the cyber group enough to follow the training we provide them on things like not clicking on random links in emails. Have we communicated clearly enough and in common language what we need from them.

Have the governments and health organizations done the same regarding the virus?

There are some out there who never will trust either and therefore never do what they should to prevent.

We know how to prevent and recover, we just need the willingness from both sides.