Risks with Flexible Work

Today, attackers are sophisticated, operating full-blown "business models" like ransomware-as-a-service with careful planning and execution tactics. A report found more than 130 different ransomware strains, with 95% of them Windows-based executable files or dynamic link libraries. Last year, Check Point Research also observed ransomware gangs using legitimate IT software, such as remote management solutions, in their attacks.

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim's files and demands a ransom payment in order to decrypt them. Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common, and they can be especially damaging to businesses that rely on remote employees.

Remote employees are more vulnerable to ransomware attacks because they are often not familiar with cybersecurity best practices. They may also be using personal devices to access corporate resources, which can increase the risk of infection.

Ransomware can exploit access to corporate resources, including data centers, IaaS, and cloud production environments to propagate within your organization, blocking you from vital IT assets. The danger of infection and spread multiplies when users operate beyond the corporate firewall. Remote employees might unknowingly download a contaminated file, interact with a malicious advertisement, or visit an infected website.

Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common and costly. In 2022, 76% of organizations were targeted by a ransomware attack, out of which 64% were infected. Only 50% of these organizations were able to retrieve their data after paying the ransom. The average ransom payment was $812,360, with the total cost of a ransomware attack standing at $4.5 million on average.

As costs to victimized organizations increase, so do the number of ways in which attackers carry out their attacks. Individuals conducted the first ransomware attacks, developing and distributing massive numbers of automated payloads to randomly selected victims.

Once inside the network via malware and/or system vulnerabilities, some attackers encrypt sensitive data and threaten to expose it. Decryption keys might—or might not be—released after the ransom is paid. Some ransomware attackers skip the encryption phase and simply threaten the victim showing copies of stolen data. "Triple extortion" threats, threaten the organization and employees, business partners and clients. Still other attackers simply destroy data.