Security intelligence isn’t fire and forget. As evidenced by a new report, organizations must be able to identify, adapt and respond to emerging threats if they hope to keep networks safe.
The latest volume of the “Microsoft Security Intelligence Report” examined the current attack landscape for security professionals. It found that the combination of botnets, ransomware and phishing campaigns has created a triple threat that’s hard to defeat and even harder to dislodge.
A One-Two-Three Punch
The report found that botnets are on the rise worldwide as attackers leverage connected devices to create massive networks that can take down web servers, decimate defenses and infect devices. One popular botnet, Gamarue, distributed over 80 different malware families last year, including ransomware, Trojans and backdoors.
According to the Microsoft report, phishing still ranks as the top malware delivery system, making up 53 percent of all Office 365-based threats in the last half of 2017. Since attackers only need one click or download for a successful attack, spamming company emails with wave after wave of supposedly legitimate messages tends to pay off.
Ransomware is also an effective tactic for malware-makers, but it causes numerous problems for victims. According to CyberEdge’s “2018 Cyberthreat Defense Report,” only 19 percent of victims get their stolen files back after paying a ransom. In some cases, it comes down to sheer criminal intention. In others, poorly constructed code makes it impossible to decrypt files without causing damage.
Individually, these threats represent real risks to organizations. Together, they make up an overlapping triple threat: Botnets provide the sheer scope and throughput necessary to distribute ransomware across the globe, while phishing provides the low-friction entry method needed to bypass advanced firewalls and detection solutions.
It’s a case of new meets old: Evolving, insecure Internet of Things (IoT) networks make botnets viable options for cybercriminals, while the human condition means email is always at risk. Despite increasing awareness of ransomware threats, many companies still pay up rather than waiting out demands or opting for alternative methods.
Smart Practices Strengthen Security Intelligence
The bad news is that there’s no silver bullet to ward off the potential of a triple-threat infection. The good news is that best practices help.
The Microsoft report noted that humans are “often the weakest link in cybersecurity” and employees remain prone to email-based attacks. The authors suggested that training, education and mock phishing exercises can go a long way toward improving organizational security practices.
Phishing awareness and prevention is particularly noteworthy. According to an Akamai report, botnets are now pivoting to leverage more credential abuse. But if companies can lock down email access, the path from code to compromise becomes much more difficult.
Standard security smarts still apply: Educate employees about the dangers of phishing attacks and how they should respond, update all security solutions regularly and ensure that IoT deployments are properly secured.