Online cyber-attacks have been on the rise in recent years, and most of them are carried out to get ransomware. Several businesses are hit daily by people with malicious intentions, but after every few months, a big incident occurs. 

This makes us realize that the danger is imminent, and any business, regardless of its size and nature, can be a victim. 

Go through the following example, and you will know the scale and size of the companies that can be targeted in the future.

Just over a week ago, a cyber-criminal gang hacked through the system of a major US pipeline company and made it offline. 

This resulted in a halt in the supply of crude oil to several Eastern states of the US.  

This is not a minor incident, as millions of customers left reeling from their need for gasoline and other petroleum products. 

People started running from pillar to post to get extra fuel for their vehicles so that they do not run out of it in the coming few days.

The victim in the incident mentioned above is the Colonial Pipeline Company which is one of the biggest companies in the US. 

Over 45% of the east coast petrol and jet fuel’s supply was disrupted due to this incident. The group claimed the attack asked for ransomware which was not disclosed but was reportedly around 40 to 50 million dollars. 

The Fallout of this Attack

The attack is seen as a major incident and a colossal failure of the online defence that the US pipeline company has deployed. 

While the expertise of the ransom group may be of the highest quality, it is the overall failure of how different antivirus software and firewalls failed to protect it against the attack. 

Although after a few days, a statement came from the oil company that their system is back online, it is reported that they have paid the ransom. 

This is a dangerous scenario and, in the future, will encourage other hackers to do the same and get huge amounts of ransomware.

Businesses must look for a good start and sustain it throughout, but they need to be worried here. There are chances that your data can be hacked very softly even before you know it, and if it is a professional cyber-criminal gang asking for ransom, you can imagine the consequences. 

This is going to be a very serious topic for all businesses. Some of you might think that small businesses and startups will be affected more than big companies, but the reality is quite different.

Let me offer you some examples so that you can understand my viewpoint easily.

Big Businesses are More Prone to Such Attacks

Professional hackers interested in ransomware think about catching Big Fish rather than small businesses who may not be able to pay the ransom. Even if they are ready to pay for it, most of them will not comply with their demands. 

However, it is easy to bypass the security systems and the firewalls installed by small businesses and startups because they do not have the infrastructure or resources to go about this task. 

The use of low-quality security systems is one way why they are very much vulnerable to such attacks.  

So what is the remedy here, and do small businesses have a chance to make it through? Certainly, there are many ways as technology is changing rapidly, and there are more solutions available than just a few years ago. 

The use of dedicated servers and cloud hosting is one way to dodge hackers looking to get into your system, but it is easier said than done. 

There are chances that businesses even using such dedicated servers can be vulnerable to malicious attacks. That is why now businesses are opting for 10Gbps Dedicated servers to have a greater chance to survive the onslaught from cybercriminals. The stakes are high for everyone as businesses do not get many chances. 

Let me give you some more insights into this topic and why this is a matter of life and death for businesses. 

Businesses Need to Be Vigilant 

Once your system is hacked, and you have to pay the ransom, there is very little chance that you can decrypt the system. You must have the support of a professional with years of experience to unlock your system or a particular folder or file that you want to save. Fortune 500 companies and multinational conglomerates need to think about how they can cope up with the challenge. 

Most new entrants in the market think that they have to get a connection with high bandwidth and unlimited space to work without any problem. But as we are talking related to ransomware and online hacking, this is not the solution. The use of dedicated service is the first step towards safety because if your website is hosted on a shared server, the changes can be far greater than on a dedicated server.

It is a matter of utmost safety for the Amazon Business account review as their sensitive data can be in the wrong hands within a few hours. And once your security is breached, the hackers around the world will be licking their lips to try their hand on your systems again. The reason is that a big data breach gets immense coverage on news websites, and if you are a medium or large business, the news will go viral. That is why every company must look for a solid solution that can give them peace of mind. 

Final Word

Times are changing, and so is technology. But the price businesses have to pay in this regard is all about privacy and making their systems and websites secure. This can be a daunting task for small businesses and startups as they do not have all the resources to deploy every solution that can work for them. I have tried my best to offer you the latest happenings in this regard and how companies are coping with this menace called ransomware.

If you think that you can add something valuable to this blog or want to ask a question, you are more than welcome. For any feedback, too, please use the comments section below.