In late April, the FBI published an article – “Incidents of Ransomware on the Rise” – on its website about the rise of ransomware incidents, a trend also noted in the water sector by WaterISAC. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that infects a computer and encrypts data to prevent access until a ransom is paid to unlock it. Individuals and organizations are discouraged from paying the ransom, as this does not guarantee access will be restored. The article includes tips for prevention and business continuity. “[I]f the first three months of this year are any indication, the number of ransomware incidents – and the ensuing damage they cause – will grow even more in 2016 if individuals and organizations don’t prepare for these attacks in advance,” the article notes.
The Department of Homeland Security US-CERT has also published an advisory on ransomware, “Ransomware and Recent Variants,” providing background information malware variants and mitigation tips. The advisory contains links to a variety of references and resources.
WaterISAC members enjoy access to these and many other ransomware resources, including incident reports from actual attacks.