Methods and Tools for Ransomware Detection
Data is a valuable resource in modern business. The potential consequences of losing access to data can be unpredictable. Ransomware attacks against businesses have increased in recent years, as cybercriminals come up with more sophisticated and intricate ways to infect a system.
We have compiled a list of the top ransomware detection tools that can detect malware and prevent you from being infected further. These are our top ransomware detection tools, which we believe are worth your attention.
- Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware Software
- Cybersight RansomStopper
- Trend Micro RansomBuster
- Check Point ZoneAlarm
- CryptoDrop
This blog post also contains best practices that can be used to quickly detect ransomware activity and minimize their impact on your system. This is our 11-point checklist of the best ransomware protection, mitigation, and detection methods.
- Check e-mail addresses
- Do not open attachments
- Ensure that your system is always up-to-date
- Install no third-party software
- Check your infrastructure regularly
- Honeypots are a great idea
- Educate your employees
- Restriction of access to critical applications and systems
- Use the 3-2-1 backup rule
- Cyber-insurance is worth considering
- Notify authorities
This blog post will also explain how NAKIVO Backup & Replication helps you protect your virtual infrastructure. It will also help you put your anti-ransomware protection plan into action.
What is Ransomware?
Ransomware is a malicious attack that aims to access, corrupt, or destroy the victim’s data using malware. Ransomware attacks are designed to make ransom payments to victims in return for access to their encrypted data.
Ransomware attackers are generally looking for monetary gains from their exploits. It is not surprising that ransomware attacks have shifted from individuals to businesses. Most modern organizations prefer to pay the ransom quickly and gain access to the files affected. The consequences of losing data are often severe and very difficult to repair.
Usually, ransomware attacks are discovered by businesses only after the crime has occurred. Ransomware detection is not something cybercriminals fear once they have infiltrated the system. Instead, they inform business owners that their system was compromised and threaten to leak or destroy mission-critical data if they don’t receive a ransom.
Cybercriminals can pose as law enforcement agencies and threaten to sue the owner for illegal content. In such cases, the victim is more likely than not to comply with the demands made by the criminal actions under the guise of a law enforcement officer.
Cybercriminals often demand that money be sent to them in virtual currencies like bitcoin. Because cryptocurrencies are so hard to trace, attackers can hide their identities and get away with the crime.
Ransomware: How to Avoid Being a Victim
Ransomware attacks can only occur if your computer is infected by the virus. It is important to know the most common methods of contracting malware. You can then identify which components of your system are most vulnerable and how to quickly detect ransomware activity in your infrastructure.
Let’s now discuss how to fall prey to ransomware. These are the most common ways to contract malware.
- Unsolicited emails or text messages prompt you to click on the link or download malware-laden attachments.
- Malicious websites are deliberately designed to trick users into visiting their pages and eventually becoming infected.
- Social media are trusted and legitimate platforms that people can trust, so they’re often trusted. Malicious applications, advertisements, plug-ins, and links found on social media sites can spread malware to convince people to download malicious software.
- Malvertising is an online form of advertising that contains malicious code. Your computer can be infected by clicking on the link from a website that appears to be legitimate.
- Mobile ransomware is a mobile app injected with malicious software. You can download such apps to your mobile phone and infect it with malware within seconds. The virus will then be shared with your computer every time you connect to it.
Top 5 Ransomware Detection Tools
Many antivirus and anti-malware vendors are competing on the market. Each vendor offers a different set of features making it difficult to choose the best option among the many available.
This is a list of ransomware detection software that can detect ransomware activity and protect your system from malicious attacks.
- Bitdefender Antiransomware Tool can be used as an add-on to Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. It is designed to prevent ransomware from infecting your computer, or at the very least spreading within your system. Machine learning is used to detect ransomware patterns and determine when an attack is occurring. Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware Tool also makes your computer files appear infected. Ransomware attackers will believe they have succeeded. However, you can stop the malware from encrypting more of your data.
- Cybersight ransomStopper can be used to detect and block new ransomware infections and prevent them from infecting your system.
- Trend Micro RansomBuster allows you to protect your computer against various ransomware types and prevents the unknown program from altering protected files in certain folders.
- CheckPoint ZoneAlarm detects suspicious activity in your system. It also prevents ransomware attacks. The product can quickly restore files to their original state if files are encrypted.
- CryptoDrop can scan your entire network and remember its state before a ransomware attack. It will also lock down your system in the event of ransomware being detected. Once all threats have been removed, encrypted files can be restored easily.
There are many ransomware detection software options available. They can all use different methods to detect ransomware and offer different performance results. When choosing the right ransomware detector tool for your company, you should consider your system capabilities, potential threats, vulnerabilities, and level of vulnerability to external attacks.
Best Practices to Avoid Ransomware, Mitigation, and Protection
We recommend these practices to help you choose the right anti-ransomware solution against malicious attacks.
Check e-mail addresses
Cybercriminals often make email addresses that look identical to their actual accounts to confuse people. You should ensure that you always check the email addresses of any incoming mail and that your employees do as well.
You can also configure your email box settings so that you filter your mail and prevent spam from reaching your inbox.
Do NOT open attachments
You should not click on links or download file attachments before you confirm that the email account belongs to an actual person. A zip file encrypted with malware is the most common method of infecting your computer. Unsuspecting users won’t have access to the contents of the zip file until they download it and open it.
Pay attention to any email attachments that have file extensions like.exe,.vbs, or.SCR. These are executable files. These files are the most likely to infect your computer with viruses once they have been downloaded.
Always update your system
Your operating system and important applications should be kept up to date. You should be aware of any future updates and ensure that you install them as soon as possible. Security patches and system updates are usually intended to address issues from previous releases and decrease vulnerabilities in your system. You can also reduce the risk of ransomware attacks.
Don’t install any third-party Software
Sometimes third-party software may be required on your computer. You should verify that the software vendor can be trusted. Whitelisting software, such as McAfee and Velox, can be used to verify that the software vendor is legitimate. Bit9, Velox, and McAfee are all good options. This will allow you to determine if the application is safe enough for installation and use in your system. Whitelisting software in combination with antivirus software is one way to detect ransomware.
Check your infrastructure
Anti-malware software is highly recommended. It will alert you to any potential threats, detect vulnerabilities, and detect ransomware activity in your infrastructure. Anti-ransomware software can scan your entire system for active malware threats and viruses. These computer scans are also available on-demand or according to a schedule that you have set, minimizing your input.
Make honeypots
The most effective security measure to deceive cybercriminals is a honeypot. It distracts them from mission-critical files and can be one of the most effective. You can create a fake file repository, or server that looks legitimate to outsiders. This makes it attractive to ransomware attackers. You can protect your files, detect ransomware attacks quickly, and also learn about cybercriminals and how you can protect your system from future attacks.
Educate your employees
Knowledge is power when it comes to ransomware. Your employees, as well as your users, should be educated about the dangers and symptoms of malware. You should also teach them how to create strong passwords, verify the authenticity of email addresses and examine file attachments and links before you click them. You should also give each employee a list of actions they can take in the event of ransomware being detected on their computer. You will be able to minimize the negative effects of ransomware attacks and resolve the problem without any serious consequences.
Limit access to critical applications and systems
Limit access to administrative rights for critical files and other system resources. There is a greater chance that an infected file will be downloaded by an individual with administrative rights than the number of people who have them. This could put your entire infrastructure at risk. You can avoid these issues by applying the principle of least privilege. This means that users are only allowed to access files and resources necessary to do their work.
Use the 3-2-1 backup rule
You must back up your data regularly using the 3-2-1 rule. This means that you need to make 3 copies of your data and store them on 2 media. One copy should be kept off-site. You can make sure that all your important data is secure and easily recoverable, even if they have been encrypted.
Test your data backups after creating them. This will help you avoid any system failures that might otherwise have occurred during recovery.
Take into consideration cyber-insurance
Cyber-insurance can help you protect your financial assets in the event of a system breach or other malicious activity. An insurance company can help you identify the top threats to your business and perform an audit of your processes to find vulnerabilities in your system. The insurance company will provide you with a list that can be used to detect, prevent, and respond to ransomware in your organization.
Notify authorities
You should notify all authorities immediately if a ransomware attack occurs on your system. If the ransomware attack succeeded and the attackers were able to obtain the ransom, authorities might be able to help you locate criminals and force them back your money. Law enforcement agencies may learn a lot from your experiences with ransomware attacks, even if they fail. What methods were used by cybercriminals to infiltrate your system? Which mitigation and prevention measures helped you overcome it? These are some of the things you should know.