Ransomware Detection TL;DR

The ransomware assaults that make headlines draw attention to how susceptible digital systems are to malevolent software. According to Microsoft's study, a staggering 97% of ransomware attacks infect a target system in less than four hours. The fact that sophisticated ransomware can enter a system and take over in less than 45 seconds is much more worrisome. Moreover, backup repositories are being targeted by ransomware criminals in an effort to stop victims from recovering their data. This strategy works; in more than 68% of instances, attackers compromise backup repositories.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a kind of cyberattack in which a malicious party encrypts data and uses encryption to prevent a user or organization from accessing it. Afterwards, requests a ransom to unlock this data. In rare circumstances, they might even threaten to leak the stolen information if the ransom is not received, which would violate confidentiality. Although rare, this type of cyberattack is frighteningly effective. The data of a corporation can be encrypted by ransomware assaults in an astounding 73% of cases, demonstrating both their high success rate and worrisome speed of execution.

What is Ransomware Detection?

Ransomware detection is the process and technologies we use to identify potential ransomware attacks. That involves monitoring systems for signs of unusual activity that might indicate ransomware existence, such as rapid file encryption or unauthorized access to file storage areas.

Ransomware's Impact on Data and Backups

Ransomware poses a grave threat to daily operations and the sanctity of backup repositories. It's crucial to recognize that attackers today are specifically targeting backups—a last line of defense for many—to prevent victims from recovering their data without paying the ransom. Modern ransomware strains seek out and encrypt or destroy backup data, further deepening the crisis for affected organizations. That way, attackers aim to eliminate any fallback options, coercing the victim into paying the ransom to regain access to their data.

Understanding Ransomware Infection Methods

Software flaws, malicious email attachments, and misleading URLs are some of the ways that ransomware can infiltrate a system. It encrypts files as soon as it gets into a system, rendering users unable to view them. In order to trick people into opening a malicious file or piece of software without realizing it, ransomware may pose as a trustworthy program.

Zero-day attacks exploit before unknown vulnerabilities in software — vulnerabilities for which there is no available patch or fix. By using these exploits, ransomware can evade detection by traditional anti-virus software, making early detection and prevention challenging.

A recent Wall Street Journal article illuminates the tale of Evotec, a drug development company that fell victim to a sophisticated ransomware attack and highlights how ransomware can cripple even the most modern companies. Have a look at the top five ransomware case study takeaways from this story about how the enemy is ever evolving.

TL;DR on Ransomware Detection Strategies

The best defense against ransomware is prevention. But occasionally, even the most watchful people might become targets. Therefore, for a robust cybersecurity posture, a multi-layered and comprehensive ransomware detection method is not only suggested, but essential.

What are the Key Detection Methods for Ransomware

• Signature-Based Detection: This conventional technique uses patterns or known signatures linked to malware to identify ransomware. This technique works well against known threats, but it performs poorly against recently discovered or developing ransomware variants.
• Behavioral-Based Detection: This method observes network behavior for anomalies that can point to a ransomware infection, like abrupt surges in file renaming or permission changes, rather than searching for recognized signatures.  
• Heuristic Analysis: By detecting suspicious file features that differ from typical patterns, heuristics help computers detect ransomware. They are typically able to uncover zero-day threats that signature-based methods may miss.
• Machine Learning and AI: Advanced detection systems employ machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze patterns and learn from them, continuously improving detection capabilities over time.  
• Honeypots: These are decoy systems or files set up to attract ransomware. Once the honeypot is attacked, it alerts administrators to the presence of ransomware in the network without putting actual data at risk.
• Network Traffic Analysis: Since ransomware often communicates with command-and-control servers, Network intrusion detection systems (IDSs) monitor network traffic for suspicious activity and can alert security teams to potential ransomware attacks.
• File Integrity Monitoring: This method involves watching critical files for unexpected changes. Any unauthorized modification could be indicative of a ransomware attack in progress.

Security against Ransomware in Microsoft 365 Backup

Although many businesses use Microsoft 365 services to increase productivity, these platforms are also vulnerable to ransomware assaults. Being able to quickly identify ransomware is essential to stopping the assault from spreading to backups stored in the cloud. Ransomware can render backups unusable after it has gained access to them, so compromising an organization's capacity to bounce back from an assault.

Prominent vendors of data protection solutions include artificial intelligence (AI) into many product components, such as ransomware detection, compliance scoring, and intelligent backups.

Alcion's AI-driven ransomware detection capabilities and composable architecture for instance, which was specifically designed for AI-driven data protection workflows, enables you to efficiently implement fine-grained ransomware detection techniques that are difficult to find to larger legacy competitors.

Best Practices in Ransomware Prevention

Regular Software Updates

Cybercriminals usually use vulnerabilities in outdated operating systems and software to gain unauthorized access. Ensure that all of your software is up to date with the most recent security patches to safeguard yourself from ransomware vulnerabilities.

The Human Aspect

An attack's chance of success can be considerably reduced by educating staff members about ransomware and training them to recognize phishing scams, shady links, and unverified downloads. Frequent training sessions can support the development of a security-aware culture inside your company.

Robust Security Policies

Development and implementation of comprehensive security policies are essential. This includes strict control over user privileges, employing strong authentication methods, and setting clear guidelines for safe internet and email usage.

Backup and Recovery Protection

The role of backups cannot be overstated in a comprehensive ransomware prevention strategy. But in case of a ransomware attack, having up-to-date backups may not be enough on its own. At Alcion, we recommend the following best practices, all integral to a robust backup solution.

• Utilize offline or immutable backups to protect against ransomware. Employ cloud object storage systems with immutable backup and object retention features to safeguard backups from modification or deletion.
• Isolate your backup infrastructure and credentials from the rest of the IT environment using cloud Backup-as-a-Service platforms for enhanced security. Implement strict access controls with single sign-on (SSO), strong passwords, and two-factor authentication (2FA) to regulate access to backup data and systems.
• Utilize delayed backup deletion to recover deleted backups in case of attacks, but only for user-initiated deletions.
• Leverage AI-powered anomaly detection algorithms to find suspicious behavior in backup repositories and alert IT teams promptly.
• Prioritize data integrity verification through encryption, cryptographic checksums, and regular integrity checks across data subsets.

For more details checkout our comprehensive article on how to protect your backups as a Microsoft 365 admin and how Alcion can help with ransomware protection for Microsoft 365.

How Alcion Protects Backups from Ransomware Attacks

Alcion provides robust protection for Microsoft 365 backup solutions, integrating advanced security measures to guard against ransomware threats. Our approach integrates a multi-layered defense system into the backup environment. We employ immutable storage, ensuring backups cannot be altered or deleted once created, coupled with an isolated backup infrastructure to protect against direct attacks and delayed deletion among others. Advanced encryption techniques are applied alongside strict access controls, including two-factor authentication, fortifying the security of backup data.

Artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in our strategy, continuously checking backup systems for unusual activities to enable early detection of potential threats. We ensure the integrity of backups is regularly verified, and 'safe' backups are efficiently identified, guaranteeing reliable data recovery in case of an attack.

Seamless integration with Microsoft 365, combined with constant updates in line with the latest security standards and policies, makes Alcion not just a backup solution, but a comprehensive guard against ransomware, providing our clients with a resilient and secure data ecosystem.

Minimize the Impact of Ransomware on Backups

Ransomware not only threatens data security but can also lead to dire consequences such as financial losses, reputational damage, and operational disruptions. Implementing a comprehensive strategy that includes best practices like regular backups, employing a principle of least privilege, and keeping a robust cybersecurity posture is crucial to mitigate these risks.

Alcion specializes in fortifying Microsoft 365 backups against ransomware. Our solution is tailored to provide maximum security, integrating features like encryption, access control, and AI-driven anomaly detection.

Try Alcion with our 14-day trial (no credit card required) today!