How Managed Security Services Protect You from Ransomware and More

Ransomware is a Growing Threat to Growing Companies

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, with over 2,400 incidents reported to the FBI; ransomware costs firms over $29 million in losses in 2020. As your business grows and your IT infrastructure develops, the prospect of a cyber-attack might begin to seem much more real to you. Your firm doesn’t need to specialize in IT to protect itself, however.

Managed IT and Managed Security Services provide you with the technology and expertise necessary to adapt to the changing nature of cyberthreats. A Managed Services Provider (MSP) and Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) can not only help you adapt to the threat of ransomware but can help your firm develop its IT infrastructure to suit your needs better.

Keep reading to learn about how ransomware works and how an MSSP can protect you against it.

How Does Ransomware Work?

Ransomware is different from the malware you may be used to navigating. Whereas malware seeks to damage or disable computer systems, ransomware encrypts files to coerce a payment out of victims to decrypt them.

A recent example of ransomware you may have heard of is the Colonial Pipeline hack. In this case, hackers had used a stolen password to access the company’s Virtual Private Network (VPN), which they then utilized to install their ransomware throughout Colonial Pipeline’s network. The company paid a ransom to receive a decryption key but found it so slow in decrypting that they eventually utilized their backup files.

Social engineering, or phishing, is the most common method of obtaining access. In many cases, hackers use official-sounding emails to trick employees into divulging usernames and passwords. Because email and workplace apps are ubiquitous across all industries, phishing and ransomware can happen to anyone.

What is the Role of an MSSP in my Business?

You can think of an MSSP as your “partner” against the numerous cybercriminals that lurk in the shadows, as well as an advisor in the growth of your firm’s IT infrastructure.

An MSSP will handle the maintenance and ongoing development of your IT infrastructure, offering insight and suggestions to services that suit the needs of your business. As it pertains to protecting against ransomware, an MSSP with cybersecurity credentials will help you develop an IT infrastructure and processes that help protect your IT systems against cyber-attacks. Additionally, your MSSP can provide a broad range of expertise in the various methods used by hackers,

How Managed Security Services Protect You from Ransomware

Protection always begins with threat mitigation, which will involve an MSSP inspecting your IT infrastructure to determine potential vulnerabilities. The first line of defense that an MSSP will deploy is virus protection software, protecting computers against malware threats.

The next line of defense will be for your inbox, as the vast majority of phishing occurs through spam mail. Thankfully, your MSSP will deploy specialized filters that check for questionable links and potential malware and install safety protocol to prevent employees from accidentally accessing potentially dangerous websites.

If you’re concerned about having to spend hours upon hours researching various IT products and which vendors are within your price range, you can rest easy knowing your new partner has your back. Your MSSP will more than likely have a shortlist of vendors that they trust and will be able to advise you on which hardware and software work best for your needs and fit within your budget.

Once they’ve established your IT system defenses, your MSSP will actively monitor your networks. While many aspects of the software your MSSP will use are automated, there will always be a technician at the other end that is ready to respond in the event of an emergency. Think of it as having manned security cameras throughout your network.

Your MSSP will also provide ongoing consultation, advising you on potential vulnerabilities, threats, and steps to take. Your MSP will assist you in the implementation of industry-backed methods, such as CIS controls.

If your firm is required to implement and abide by any regulatory frameworks (such as HIPPA, CMMC, GDPR, PCI DSS, NIST, SOX, etc.), your MSSP can provide an end-to-end compliance readiness, monitoring, and reporting solution.

What Happens if I Still Get Hacked?

Like any defense, there’s still a chance that you could fall victim to a ransomware attack. Unfortunately, the threat of ransomware is continually evolving and sophisticated. And many times, threats aren’t discovered until after they’ve already struck.

Like any good partner, however, your MSSP is always planning your next steps, as well as contingencies for when things go wrong. Should you fall victim to an attack, your MSSP will be able to contain ransomware, isolating the number of compromised systems and mitigating the damage. In this scenario, you may be able to continue operating while your MSSP scrubs your systems and brings them back online.

Your managed security provider will maintain a database of backup files that is consistently updated, with files being spread between local computers and cloud databases. Using this, your MSSP can quickly restore affected systems to their pre-exposure state.

Once your systems are back online, and the threat has passed, your managed security services provider will likely conduct a forensic investigation to detect and patch any vulnerabilities.

Finding an MSSP That’s Right for You

The ever-evolving nature of cyber threats doesn’t have to be daunting. As a business owner, you have many options to protect your IT infrastructure. Armed with the knowledge of how managed IT services and managed security services protect you from cyber-attacks, you merely need an MSSP firm that can fully address your business needs.

GlacisTech is an expert MSSP with a wide range of experience assisting firms in industries from manufacturing to finance. GlacisTech can not only assist your firm in protecting against cyber threats like ransomware, phishing, and malware but can help you grow your firm’s digital infrastructure to meet the demands of an ever-changing IT landscape.

Start with our Free IT Risk Assessment to receive a comprehensive report on your business’ IT infrastructure with no cost or obligation.

About GlacisTech

GlacisTech is a managed service provider (MSP) and managed security solution provider (MSSP) for small to medium-size businesses in the Dallas and North Texas region. GlacisTech helps businesses grow by providing innovative, state-of-the-art IT solutions that allow its customers to reduce network downtime, increase operational efficiencies, and cost-effectively scale their IT to meet the demands of their growing businesses.

GlacisTech’s suite of Worry-Free IT services includes managed IT, cybersecurity, virtual CIO, managed compliance & remediation, and cloud services.