The ransomware malware strain, called “Clop ransomware”, encrypted 267 of the university’s Windows servers, including backups. The University’s full infrastructure consists of 1647 servers running either Linux or Windows, and 7307 workstations. The university reported that it has several network security measures in place including firewalls, antivirus, and spam filters, but that the ransomware was able to bypass these measures through two phishing emails on October 15^th and 16^th 2019.

The university stated that despite the IT department constantly receiving alerts on security threats, there is still a need for more education on avoiding phishing techniques to help alleviate the constant pressure of cyberattack. For tips on how to detect phishing emails, read our article on the topic here.

Nick Bos, VP of Maastricht university, discussed the decision to pay the ransom to the attackers. He stated that while the University does not ethically stand by the act of succumbing to ransomware extortion, it ultimately made the decision to pay the ransom due minimize the damage that the attack would have on its students’ education, staff, and researchers.

What can we learn from this attack?

1. Phishing attacks are as prevalent as ever, and can lead to significant financial damage to an organization. Any organization’s firewall is only as strong as its weakest link. As shown in the Clop Ransomware attack, even a network that is protected by antivirus and spam filter software can be penetrated if a malicious link is accidentally clicked on by an employee. Therefore, employee education on common phishing methods and signs to look out for should still be a top priority for your organization’s cybersecurity strategy.
2. Following the attack, Maastricht University employed Fox-IT to conduct an independent investigation on the incident. In their audit, Fox-IT discovered that the malware was able to leverage a server that was missing critical patches that fixed known vulnerabilities. Exploiting this single security hole allowed the attackers to spread the malware to 267 Windows servers. This highlights the importance of keeping your organization’s server OS up-to-date.

GIGE IT Solutions can keep your organization protected from ransomware. We manage all your servers and workstations to ensure that they are always up-to-date and protected from malware such as ransomware. Call us at +1 888 366 4443 or email us at info@gige.ca to get started.

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3 Preventive Measures To Make your Business Safe From Ransomware Attack

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Why are Server O.S. Updates Important To Your Company?

A server system is the heart of a company’s I.T. life. It often contains many, if not all company files, and acts as the central core that all company computers are connected to. A slowdown of such a system would therefore mean a slowdown of the company as a whole. Often, inefficiencies that begin to occur are caused by an aging operating system (OS), which inhibits the utilization efficiency of a server’s components. Operating systems are like any other software, and require regular maintenance to operate at maximum efficiency. Regular Server O.S. updates are one of the most important parts of IT maintenance.

An OS is the fundamental program of a computer system. It acts as the interface between the components of a computer and its user, and acts as the ground on which other programs operate. However, like any other program, it requires constant updates from its developer to keep up with new components or software. For instance, Windows OS receives periodic updates from Microsoft which improve its stability, efficiency, and security. Common operating systems include Windows 10, Ubuntu, and MacOS.

However, when a developer cuts further support to an end-of-life operating system, it not only becomes a cause of major slowdown due to inefficient use of hardware, but it also becomes a security liability, as hackers would be able to take advantage of vulnerabilities that are no longer being addressed by its programmers. As such, it is imperative to keep the operating systems on company systems updated, to ensure efficient operation, as well as data security.

GIGE IT Solutions can help your organization by providing regular Server O.S. updates to keep your organization protected from cyberattack and operating at peak efficiency. By offloading the worry of keeping your servers up-to-date to our engineers, you can focus your efforts on excellence in your industry.

Call us at +1 888 366 4443 or email info@gige.ca to get started with us immediately.

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Outdated server Operating Systems not only inhibit the efficiency of a company’s operation through ineffective hardware usage, but also present security risks due to lack of updated patch support. GigE Solutions provides OS upgrade services to solve such issues, and provides virtualization of physical servers, which further increases operation efficiency and reduces server usage costs.

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