Quick Intelligence Blog

Many organizations feel that being prepared for a ransomware attack is futile. This couldn’t be further from the truth as told by BleepingComputer. Their article about the REvil ransomware attack on Kaseya VSA customers mentioned that many victims refused to pay the ransom. The reason: Backups!

The growth of ransomware continues, leaving many cybersecurity experts to wonder if there will ever be an end? The numbers for 2021 do not paint a good picture. Sophos says the average ransomware payment has increased to $812,260 compared with the 2020 average of $170,000. Worse still, the number of ransoms over $1 million has risen to 11% up from 4% in 2020.

If you think your business is too small to be of interest to a cybercriminal, think again.  While big companies make the headlines for their data breaches, small companies are also an ideal target for hackers.  "Small businesses can be a really sweet spot for cybercriminals. They have more money to steal than a consumer and less security in place than a large business," said Kevin Haley, director of security response at Symantec. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were warned about the cyber risks associated with a remote workforce. There is also a risk upon a return to the office.

Some small business owners are under the mistaken impression that cyber security is only for larger enterprises. They often think, “why would a hacker want to attack my little business, when there are larger enterprises with more money and data to steal?” The reality is that small businesses are attacked often, they just don’t generate headlines the way larger businesses do. Unlike those large enterprises, 60% of small businesses will permanently close 6 months after a data breach. To avoid having your business close, read about the 6 big cyber security risks putting small companies out of business, along with tips on how you can minimize that risk.

Have you heard of social engineering? If you are worried that it is something complicated and technical, have no fear, it’s not. Social engineering is as old as time itself and doesn’t need fancy technology. Criminals and fraudsters use social engineering techniques to trick people into giving them access to restricted areas. Once the criminal has gained access, they can then use that access to commit whatever crime they wish.

Cyber attacks are growing every year. There are all kinds of stats out there to verify this: 78% of organizations worldwide were hacked in 2019. Additionally, 60% of small businesses close 6 months after a data breach. Yet, sadly, many organizations still fail to take cybersecurity seriously.

ZeroFox announced yesterday that Quick Intelligence will be their Canadian Partner to extend their delivery of critical threat intelligence, digital risk protection, and adversary disruption services in Canada.

If you are thinking that your business is too small to be targeted by cyber criminals, think again. Many hackers think of small businesses as “low hanging fruit,” or as easy targets, since they don’t have big cyber security budgets to prevent an attack. The statistics also prove this to be true.

When it comes to running your business, you know that you need to be prepared. Just like we all know what to do in the event of a fire because we practice our escape plan, it is important for your business to plan and prepare for a ransomware attack.