How much does it cost to protect your company against ransomware?

Surprisingly, the answer to this question, "How much does it cost to protect your business from ransomware?" , it's simple, easy and objective: little!

Unless your data, information and files are worth nothing…

Certainly, which is not the case. Undeniably, data, files, and information are undeniably among companies' great assets - as they are largely strategic and mean competitive advantage.

It is cheap to protect your business from ransomware

Just to illustrate how cheap it is to protect your business from ransomware , I propose a quick and unequivocal mental exercise. Let's go…

How much effort, time, and money you estimate that you would need to spend if all your data, files and information would be deleted from computers, smartphones, laptops, and your business servers?

Imagine arriving at the company in the morning and nothing is accessible or working? Not just down, but also blocked? From the site to the phone booklet of the cell phone…

Think about it! Not only need to talk to a customer and not have access to contact data… as well as not deliver a good or service because the schedule and programming are inaccessible and blocked… or not being able to charge or receive for the goods and services sold…

Probably, in situations like these, or even worse, what would be the damage to your business? Both financial and image and reputation and in relationship with its customers and the market?

Undoubtedly, regardless of value and commitment, if something of this genre occurred in your company, how long would it be necessary to return to operating at a normality level?

Although this mental exercise is important, surely you must be thinking that this is not a matter of imagination, but a nightmare!

In fact, without prior investment to protect your business from ransomware , returning to a normal operational level is virtually impossible.

Perhaps, with these examples, you have already been able to “set up” some pieces of the terrible puzzle that is suffering a cyber attack .

Also, I'm sure that it monetized these situations and realized that it is not to protect your business from ransomware .

Knowing is to protect your company from ransomware

In order to share information about the real threat and the risks and challenges of malicious attacks in the last three weeks, we have published a series of articles on our blog .

• DNS firewall for what?
• Does DNS firewall reduce the risk of ransomware attack?
• Renner case: would the DNS firewall have prevented the ransomware attack?

After all, "knowing is power . The phrase is from the English philosopher Francis Bacon (1561-1626). In other words, the meaning of this aphorism is that, knowing and understanding the threats and challenges, this knowledge can generate practical results to face them and resources capable of overcoming them .

In fact, an alert to the need to invest in security and control of internet access . In this sense, Lumiun Internet Security offers efficient solutions to protect your business from ransomware and other malware.

Before we go on and conclude this series of articles that share information and superdications about how much it costs to protect your company against ransomware, watch the video below .

Lots of money, kidnappings and extortions: Ransomware is stealing Brazil.

This is the title of the video in which Tecmundo's website editor, Felipe Payão, presents a good summary of cyber attacks and why it is important to protect your business from ransomware .

Protecting your business against ransomware is fast, easy and cheap

Contrary to the statement of the above subtitle, in the previous block, we saw how much effort and money would be needed if there are no investments to protect your company from ransomware.

However small your company and operation, it is evident that it would cost expensive and demand a lot of effort .

But the good news is that, perhaps, there is resources (financial and human) to "reset" your business and restart from scratch all your activity would be possible. Although, too, very laborious and very expensive…

However, I hope you noticed, we only talk about effort and money…

Therefore, we still have an important aspect to consider: time!

After a ransomware attack, did you know that the average inactivity time in the 2nd quarter of 2021 was 23 days?

This is what the quarterly report of Ransomware Coveware , of July 23, 2021, informs the US company Coveware specializes in intermediating ransomware incident negotiation.

Also, according to this report, this average inactivity days is 15% lower , when compared to the average 1st quarter of 2021.

In fact, time is a resource on which no company has control. Unlike labor and money that, more or less easily, are subject to allocated.

Currently, customers and users require total availability of goods and services at any time at any time. Not meeting the need or expectation of consumers may cost a business or contract .

In addition, damage to the reputation and image of a company can be irreparable .

This is why the suspension, discontinuation or stoppage of business activity are considered the most harmful and expensive consequences of not protecting your business from ransomware .

The recovery time is critical against ransomware

Prevention is critical when it comes to protecting your business from ransomware. Mainly, because it will allow a shorter recovery time in the event of a cyber incident.

For sure, the ability to recover data and restore your business operation after a ransomware attack is directly linked to investing your business from ransomware .

Especially because preventive measures can avoid the worst scenario and minimize damage by reducing the interest of malicious onslaught .

However, it is always good to remember that no company is free of cyber attacks .

In this video, ransomware: What is and how to protect yourself , you can see more tips on how to protect your business from ransomware .

Internet access control and security actions to protect your business from ransomware

The pandemic, in fact, caused the acceleration in the digital transformation of business.

As a result, the rapid increase in connectivity between companies, people, and devices has caused the risks of risks associated with the vulnerability of systems and users with malware, phishing, ransomware, hackers, viruses and so many other threats.

Lumiun Internet Security contributes useful internet management and security solutions to protect your business from ransomware , whether small, medium or large.

Above all, because it offers services that, at the same time, enable more security and productivity on the Internet , as well as more profit for your ISP provider and more security and control on the subscriber's internet .

The adoption of an information security culture is certainly an important step in protecting your business from ransomware .

In this sense, see 10 Internet safety superdicates for small and medium enterprises .

1. Use safe passwords for all users and equipment.
2. Activate the authentication of two factors (2FA).
3. Protect and control internet access.
4. Use antiviruses on all computers.
5. Register and limit network traffic with a firewall.
6. Have backup copies of the important data.
7. Keep software always updated.
8. Restrict permissions in shared files.
9. Educate employees about phishing and social engineering.
10. Implement a policy of using IT resources.

But how much, how much does it cost to protect your business from ransomware?

First, to answer this question with assertiveness, you need to unmask cyber security myths . In any case, the fact is that it is very wrong to think that digital safety for small and medium businesses is like perfumery.

Since, even with an unfavorable economic scenario, avoiding cyber attacks can directly and positively influence a company's revenue .

That is, compared, the values ​​needed to do what needs to be done and the way it should be done are much lower than the costs and losses arising from a cybers .

Finally, protecting your business against ransomware is the smartest and most strategic attitude towards the possibility of losing customer confidence and taping your reputation .

By the way, all care is little when it comes to the reputation and finances of your company. Although this warns will serve on many situations, it is particularly excellent when it comes to adapting to LGPD .

Mainly, because fines are heavy if companies do not take necessary measures for compliance and security and prevention principles , as required by law.

Three cost centers to protect your business from ransomware

Undoubtedly, IT infrastructure survey , user training and protection tools (backup, firewall, DNS filter, system update and business VPN) are three relevant cost centers to protect your business from ransomware.

In this sense, there is another myth to be demystified about Internet management and safety: the high and unfeasible cost to protect your business from ransomware and other cybercrime .

In fact, efficient, even basic data security has been very expensive and even unfeasible for some companies .

However, the evolution of cyber attacks led to the financial adequacy of the price of protection systems, making them accessible to small and medium enterprises .

IT Infrastructure Survey

For IT infrastructure to work properly, at least these aspects need to be observed.

1. Hardware and Software Inventory - an exact survey of all equipment, devices and applications.

This list should list:

• the amount of computers available;
• If they exist and which antivirus are installed on equipment;
• the storage capacity of each machine;
• Software and installed operating systems , as well as their versions;
• the use time of each notebook, smartphone and computer;
• Types and quantities of installed hosts ; And finally,
• if the equipment supports the operating system update . 

2. Evaluation of depreciation and acquisition cost - evaluating whether computers, smartphones, laptops and peripherals have adequate lifetime for data security . Also, if the equipment guarantees the safety and the possibility of backing the data stored there. Otherwise, they must be discarded.

Similarly, evaluate the company's financial capacity to support software investments and updates and the upgrade of equipment and devices. Especially updating operating systems and software that is of paramount importance for data security.

Therefore, keeping equipment, devices and systems always updated is essential for efficient data security as they are used incessantly . 

3. Vulnerabilities Analysis and Risk Management - Knowing what are the weaknesses and vulnerable points of your company's Internet Management and Safety. This is the first step in correctly evaluating and planning the necessary investments to minimize risks and protect your business from ransomware and other cyber attacks .

Maintaining sensitive data, strategic information and always affordable and available files and equipment should be the priority guideline.

User Training

Establish data security policies and make all employees and users receive training to assume responsible and safe behaviors is essential.

As much as training and enabling employees has a low cost (compared to other actions and information security initiatives), these activities should not be relegated to the background.

Especially because it is through users that more than half of malicious attacks occur. Mainly, through the social engineering technique known as phishing .

It is characterized by fraudulent act in an attempt to obtain confidential and sensitive data and information. Phishing's technique and main point of contact is messaging (by email, applications or other tools).

Protection Tools

1. Backup - functional and reliable backup system is indispensable so that data can be recovered in case of ransomware loss or attack. It is one of the main strategies and measures to protect your business from ransomware.
2. Firewall - A hardware and/or software that monitors and controls the flow of data access and network internet, according to each company's security policy. Above all, a firewall enables filtering input and exit traffic and granting or preventing specific and malicious access , in accordance with the set of legal rules and/or previously defined.
3. DNS Filter - A solution that manages access and security rules to flows and data traffic based on DNS (Domain Name System). It allows, from origin to destination, flow and traffic only at interesting and useful addresses, filtering the harmful and malicious . It is therefore important to define and hierarchize rules, controls and a risk assessment of data .
4. Systems Update - Updated operating systems and software undergoes continuous evolutions in quality, safety and performance. In addition, “originality” is important to keep them safe and reliable . Opt for pirate tools can lead to various data security issues. After all, modified versions do not have the same safety functionalities or verification as the originals.
5. VPN Business - A solution that brings external employees closer and together, all in a single network. Similarly, this process contributes to increasing safety and productivity. VPN acronym , which means virtual private network, is a technology that uses the internet to connect a group of computers and, above all, maintain the security of the data that travel in this network. In addition, the pandemic made this technology even more relevant. Especially because of the remote work, under home office .

Finally, we can say that, as much as indispensable investments in safety and internet access control can “weigh” in a company's cash flow, they will always be advantageous, preferable and cheaper in the face of alternative: not protecting your business from ransomware .

As a suggestion for continuing this reading, the page What is DNS Firewall and 7 reasons to use it in your company is a good continuation of reading this text. You can also download the content from this page and share it with those who also need this content.