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Ransomware is becoming more and more of an issue in recent years, but the good news is there are ways you can protect your data from ransomware. The question of how does ransomware protection work is something we receive regularly, and if you visit this page, you can learn some of the solutions to this issue. Keep reading as we discover some of the easiest ways to protect your data from ransomware, so that you can minimise the risk of losing your precious data for your business in the future.

Back Up Your Data

Our number one top tip for anyone working with online systems or computers is to back up your data on a regular basis. When discussing how to prevent ransomware or how to test ransomware protection, you’ll find that this is a good preventative measure if an attack was to happen in the future. While we certainly hope you are never the victim of a ransomware attack, it’s best to always back up your data in case something was to happen. Unfortunately, many of these cybercriminals are becoming more and more sneaky, and they find ways to even erase your back-ups. Keep an extra copy of any key files or data in a safe space, so that you can quickly and easily access it should an emergency occur.

Protect Your Systems with a SonicWall Firewall

Many small and medium-sized businesses believe that they aren’t big enough to need protection from a firewall. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as you need to consider the types of firewall that can help to offer ransomware protection. This is one of the best ways to stop cybercriminals from having access to your system, but you may be wondering how does ransomware protection work. Our team will be happy to suggest the best SonicWall firewalls for your unique needs, and ensure you are protected for years to come.

It’s never too late to research purchasing a SonicWall firewall and to discover the solutions on the market today. You’ll find that the number of firewalls for smaller businesses is increasing each year, allowing companies to affordably protect their systems. Ransomware firewall protection is something that is well worth investing in, as it can save you a fortune in the long run when you don’t have to pay out to get your data back.

Change Your Passwords Regularly

Any type of cyberattack is difficult to prevent entirely, but there are many ways in which you can work to protect your computers and systems. By changing your passwords regularly, you’ll offer an extra layer of protection for your team, and you’ll stop unwanted intruders getting into your systems. This is something that everyone should be doing anyway, as it can also stop people within your business from hacking into your systems. Make sure you set a reminder for yourself to do this on a regular basis, and you’ll find that you have more control over what is going on within your workplace.

Use Secure Networks

With more people than ever before working remotely, we are finding that people are logging in from different networks, many of which aren’t secure at all. This is a huge issue if you are looking to protect your data from ransomware, as it makes you far more vulnerable to an attack. We highly recommend only using a secure network which you know you can trust. Make sure you inform all of your employees to also follow this advice, so you don’t have more issues in the future as a result of people logging in from different networks.

By following all of these top tips, you can do your best to protect your data from ransomware. Make sure you look out for any signs of a potential attack, as the sooner you are aware of any issues that have occurred, the more likely you’ll be able to protect the rest of your network and systems from corruption. While you might think that your business is too small to warrant using a firewall, you’ll want to make sure you put this protection in place as quickly as possible to avoid becoming a victim of a cyberattack. If you are looking into firewalls, a SonicWall firewall is the best option for most types of businesses, and can be extremely helpful in protecting your data from ransomware.

For more information about using a SonicWall firewall to protect your company, contact our team today. We’ll be happy to discuss the options on offer, and we’ll make sure that you find a solution that will protect you from these nasty attacks in the future. The sooner you take the right steps to make sure you protect yourself from ransomware attacks, the more likely you’ll find success within your business over the upcoming years.

Ransomware is something that’s receiving more and more attention at the current time, due to the increase in malicious attacks over the past two years. The recent pandemic has seen a huge increase in the number of people working online, but this naturally comes with more risks for those operating a business in this way. Today we’re going to discover the answer to the question of what is a ransomware attack and how you can prevent this in the future. Sonic Firewall is an amazing tool that our team will be happy to share more about with you, so that you can minimise the chance of falling victim to a ransomware attack in the future.

Ransomware Attacks – What Are They?

If you are wondering what is a ransomware attack, let us explain. Learning what is ransomware is something that any company needs to be aware of, and you’ll find that SonicWall firewalls can help you with the prevention of this type of attack. Ransomware is a type of malware that’s used to hold a victim’s information for a ransom. Hackers do this so that you cannot access your files or databases, and they demand the ransom to free up your data. This has become more and more of a threat in the past years, with billions of dollars being raised by these cybercriminals each year. Of course, victims of ransomware attacks are left with huge bills and expenses to cover these issues, while also being left with disruption to their business.

Why Are There More Ransomware Issues Recently?

Many of us have seen the increasingly regular news stories about ransomware and cybercriminals, and there are many reasons for this increase in the number of issues we are seeing in the news. The pandemic has inspired more people to turn to crime, and with the number of people and businesses operating online, it’s becoming more noticeable and disruptive. Malware kits are now easier than ever to get on demand, and you’ll find there are some good cross-platform interpreters for ransomware. Techniques are getting more advanced, which means that criminals can encrypt all the disk instead of just targeting a single file.

While you may think that cybercriminals need to be incredibly advanced with technology, this isn’t the case at all. You’ll find that many people can now get involved in this industry, which is a terrifying thought. The biggest issues with ransomware when compared to other types of attacks is that it’s almost impossible at times to find out who the criminals are. With the use of anonymous cryptocurrency, payments such as Bitcoin make it a challenge to track down the criminals who caused all of this damage to your organisation.

Criminals see ransomware as a get-rich-quick scheme with little consequence for them due to the little chance of them being found out. Open-source code and drag-and-drop platforms are readily available, so people are getting more and more creative when it comes to building their own ransomware. All of these factors come together to mean your business and systems are at greater risk than ever before.

Ways to Prevent Falling Victims to a Ransomware Attack

If you are worried about being the victim of a ransomware attack, you’ll need to make sure you follow our best advice to avoid any issues in the future. We recommend you back up your data regularly, so that you aren’t locked out of any files that are critical for your work. If you do find you are a victim in the future, you’ll then have a back-up which you can rely on to carry on with your work. You don’t want to feel you have to pay these huge ransoms, but these backed-up files could help reduce the need to do just that.

Another consideration is to secure your backups, so that they can’t be accessed or deleted from your system. Many of these criminals are very savvy, and they’ll also go in and find the backups so that you really do have no choice but to pay up. As far as using the internet and your computer systems, be very careful to surf safely and use secure networks. This will help to reduce the chance of someone getting onto your computers or systems, which is where trouble begins.

We highly recommend investing in a SonicWall Firewall in order to prevent a ransomware attack. These types of firewall will help to protect your systems and ensure that your business remains protected for years to come. Using a Sonic firewall is a good solution for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and our team will be happy to advise you about the best model for your needs. Contact us today for more information about the range of SonicWall firewalls we stock and how we can help your business to remain unaffected by ransomware attacks for many years to come.

We often hear that firewalls are critical for businesses in any industry today to stay safe and secure. While this is true for businesses of all sizes and shapes, it is important to know the benefits and drawbacks of a firewall so that you can make the right choice for your business. Keep reading to discover the benefits of a firewall and anything you should be aware of when making this purchase. A sound firewall is one of the best options for your business to consider this investment and will help to protect your data in the future.

What are the Advantages of a Firewall?

There are many reasons that we encourage every business owner to invest in a firewall. Keep reading to discover the advantages of a firewall for any company.

Monitor the Traffic Passing Through

The main aim of a firewall is for it to monitor the traffic that is passing through your firewall and system. All of this information comes in packets, which the firewall will inspect to ensure it is safe to enter. When it does come across something that is harmful, it will block the traffic instead of letting it enter your system.

Protect Your Business

The number of cybersecurity threats is only continuing to increase year after year. Following the recent pandemic, we notice that malware and Trojans are on the increase, and it’s impossible for businesses to protect themselves alone. You don't want to risk your hard work and money, and a firewall will work to block anything that could cause problems right away. This will prevent hackers from getting into your business and carrying out any illegal activity. Viruses spread so quickly, which can cause a huge amount of damage to any business. We highly recommend everyone invests in a firewall this year, as it will protect your business from attacks and be your top tool.

Increased Privacy and Control for Business Owners

The great thing about firewalls is that they come with an access policy. You can use this to block some hosts and services from entering your system. This will give you more control over your computer system and ensure that you are protected from various attacks. Privacy is something that every business needs to be concerned about, especially with everyone spending so much time online today. A firewall will block the DNS information from a site system and make sure that all information that needs to remain private stays that way.

The Drawbacks of Using a Firewall

While we encourage every business to see the benefits of a firewall, it’s always good to be aware of any potential drawbacks. These are simply things to be aware of when purchasing a firewall and will help you to make the right choice for your company.

The Cost

Sadly, firewalls aren’t free with computer systems or devices. While SonicWall firewalls are a very affordable option, you’ll find that others can be very costly. Especially for small businesses, we recommend looking at a Sonic firewall, which is designed with small and medium-sized businesses in mind. These offer a cost-friendly solution that will protect your business and ensure you receive all the benefits of firewalls we shared above. You’ll also want to invest in training for your team if they aren’t sure how to use a firewall. This will help you to remain well protected in any situation in the future.

Choosing a High Performing Firewall

With so many options on the market today, we know that it can be difficult to choose a high-performing firewall that offers all the above benefits. You should take your time to compare the different SonicWall Firewalls available, and then choose from them to find the right one for your system. Our team knows that every business is unique, and we’ll support you in finding the right protection for your company. Always look for a firewall that will support your operations, no matter how simple or complex they are.

As you can see, there are both benefits and drawbacks of firewalls. However, it’s clear that the advantages of a firewall clearly outweigh the disadvantages for businesses of all sizes. Even small and medium-sized businesses need to make this investment to help them to stay ahead of the competition and avoid cyberattacks. No matter how small you think your company is, you never know when someone will try to infiltrate your system and wreak havoc for your business. The cost of a firewall is nothing compared to the cost of a cyberattack, which is why we recommend investing in a firewall today. Contact our team for more information about our range of firewalls and to help you find the right solution for your business.

Firewalls are something that any business needs to invest in, but you’ll find that you need to select the right one for your requirements. When comparing firewalls, you’ll see the terms of stateful firewall vs stateless firewall discussed. With so many cyber threats to be aware of, you’ll need to do everything you can to secure your business. Keep reading to find out what the difference is between a stateless and stateful firewall, so you can choose the right firewall for your business.

What is a Stateful Firewall?

There are various types of firewalls on offer, so it’s important to note that not every firewall has the same firewall advantages and features. You need to make sure you choose a firewall based on what is right for your company’s needs. A stateful firewall is one that inspects anything inside the data packages, including the data’s characteristics and communication channels. They will filter out any suspicious data, but they can also track the data behaviours and the patterns of the firewall.

When something suspicious does appear, a stateful inspection firewall will recognise this threat and then address it. You’ll find that a stateful firewall could be used at the edge of your network or within it. An internal segmentation firewall is a kind of stateful firewall, and it can help protect a part of your network if a malicious program gets inside.When something suspicious does appear, a stateful inspection firewall will recognise this threat and then address it. You’ll find that a stateful firewall could be used at the edge of your network or within it. An internal segmentation firewall is a kind of stateful firewall, and it helps to protect a part of your network from outside attacks.

What is a Stateless Firewall?

On the other hand, a stateless firewall uses the destination and source of the data to find out if it is a threat to your system. You will need to enter these requirements as an administrator, but some manufacturers do set these rules in place before you buy a stateless firewall. When something goes outside the parameters that are set, this is then identified as a threat. The firewall will then block or stop this data from entering, helping to protect your system.

What are the Pros and Cons of a Stateful Firewall?

When looking at the different SonicWall VPN firewalls available, you should make sure the type of firewall you choose is right for you. A stateful firewall helps to detect when data is used to try and get into your system. A SonicWall firewall will protect businesses of all sizes, so even when hackers try to get into your system, you can keep your business going. Stateful firewalls have the ability to log information about network connections, and they don’t need too many ports to communicate properly. You’ll also find that they log the attacks and their behaviours. This information can then be used in the future to stop future attacks. It will learn as it goes, which can help to keep up to date with current concerns.

As with any product, there are some drawbacks to a stateful firewall. It will need to always be kept up to date with the current software updates, or you will find that it could be compromised. You’ll find that some of these firewalls are still susceptible to attacks, and this can result in harm to the network. Finally, they are more open to man-in-the-middle attacks, which are something no company can afford to be the victim of.

What are the Pros and Cons of a Stateless Firewall?

Stateless firewalls are often considered to be less of an intelligent solution for larger businesses. While a stateless firewall is a good option for a sole user, you’ll find that big businesses will usually not opt for this option. This is because a stateful firewall is a more intelligent solution, as it can check future data and learn from past actions. Stateless firewalls need more attention to make sure they are configured properly. While you will have full control over what comes in and out of the system, you’ll need to ensure that you set this correctly. If the manufacturer has made these parameters, you’ll find that they might not be the perfect fit for your needs.

Both stateful and stateless firewalls can offer great benefits to businesses, but you need to make sure you choose the right option for your company. When looking at stateful vs stateless firewalls, in most situations, we always recommend opting for a stateful firewall for businesses. Our team will be on hand at any time to help you find the right solution for your business and protect your company from cyberattacks. Contact us today for more information and to discuss stateless vs stateful firewalls to help protect your business in the future. It is never too late to protect your systems and make sure that you are keeping your business safe from cyberattacks and hackers.

Cybersecurity is a hot topic as of now, and there's always some news out there of a hack around or ransomware of company data happening. That means now more than ever it is a good idea to consider getting some form of cybersecurity for your company if you haven't already considered it.

There are two main options. First, an outdated server-side model where you hold and store everything locally has numerous security benefits of cloud computing. Cloud security benefits outweigh more traditional methods due to how efficient and cost-effective these types of solutions are. They’re even better when paired with enterprise-level firewalls, so be sure to (visit firewall page).

What security benefits does the cloud provide?

The first on the list of cloud security benefits is patch and maintenance management. If you have an internal server management system, you need to patch every server manually. An alternative is to develop a customised script and program to fix these servers simultaneously.

However, this method is prone to error and possibly a human error of simply forgetting to patch a server. The benefits of cloud security infrastructure are that the patching is done across the board, and there are built-in features to check which areas aren't patched and automatch them. This level of organisation is only possible with cloud infrastructure.

Another major component of cloud security benefits is preventing a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. This threat is where numerous computers input dummy requests to a company site or server at a rate that the server cannot handle properly. The benefits of cloud security are that these types of attacks must first get through enhanced extensive security, as those who use cloud security systems work with more significant global partners protecting many clients.

Then there would have to be enough attacks to take down the entire cloud network as cloud computing security benefits also work in a distributed manner to combat these attacks. In turn, this means there will be several servers managing the traffic load, and you mitigate unusual traffic spikes.

No need for additional physical security

Without having physical servers on-site for businesses of any size, the benefits of cloud security transition to a more analogue situation. Without having any server on site, but just a connection to the internet to access the cloud, there's nothing that can be taken physically at the office location.

Therefore, your data is safe from any physical attempts to try to take it away from your place of business. Even taking routers and switches won't matter because the benefits of cloud security will still have those looking to gain access require multiple verification steps.

This measure isn't just in case of theft, but also due to power outages and natural disasters. If there's a loss of power, physical servers will switch to back up power until it runs out, yet the surge or forced shut down might lead to syncing issues or partial data corruption.

In the case of natural disasters, when someone asks what security benefits the cloud provides, a natural disaster at the place of business will not affect data loss since all data points are being consistently synced to the cloud-based servers. The same goes for power loss or loss of internet connection. At most, the data that will be lost will be data trying to sync within the past few minutes.

Data is secure

Speaking of multifactor authentication, the security benefits of cloud computing lie in its data security. First, the data is secure from the user perspective, where access requires unique login information and some additional form of authentication, either passphrase, one-time password, or authenticator application.

There's a lot that goes into data protection on the backend. The benefit of cloud security is that you're always looking at enterprise top tier levels of security as a standard.

Scalable and customisable

Cloud computing security benefits scale up or down as is needed for the business, which helps with cost savings features. In turn, this means instead of a massive investment at the start for cybersecurity, the security benefits the cloud provides can be purchased as needed and increased as needed, paying for the existing amount instead of trying to assume what the needs will be in the long term.

It doesn't take a lot to install cloud security benefits either, or using physical firewalls such as the SonicWall firewall can allow businesses to install the security benefits of cloud computing with zero-touch functionality. Furthermore, this action will help with another security benefit, such as TLS/SSL web-based certificates that help to ensure the security of web-based platforms.

In addition, these types of firewalls, the SonicWall firewalls, offer advanced threat protection (ATP) and Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (patent pending) as an additional layer and part of the overall scope of the benefits of cloud security.

Don't guess whether you will need to take advantage of cloud-based security benefits or if your company needs this type of security. Suppose you're going to connect to the internet, even to check your emails.

In that case, you want to be able to ensure that you, your staff, and your company are protected through the right combinations of cloud-based security and the best types of firewall protection services.

While we’ve shared information previously about the benefits of SonicWall products, you might be wondering how this company came to be as successful as it is today. Our SonicWall-Sales firewalls are some of the most popular cybersecurity products on offer in the country, but if you aren’t familiar with the company, it’s worth learning more about why they are superior to other options out there. Let’s head back in time to discover how SonicWall came to be the company it is today.

The Founding of SonicWall

SonicWall recently celebrated its 30-year anniversary. Founded in 1991, the company has gone from strength to strength during this time, offering innovative solutions for their clients and partners. With over three decades of experience in the industry, it’s no surprise that SonicWall is still at the forefront of the industry. When we head back in time to look at the first of the SonicWall products, you’ll find that the company started off heading down a slightly different route. Sreekanth Ravi and his brother Sudhakar Ravi formed SonicWall in 1991, drawing upon Sreekanth’s experience of owning a company that produced products for Apple, namely graphic expansion cards. The company began life as Sonic Systems, but it was changed to SonicWall later on. They were aiming to focus on speed and produce Ethernet cards to help with products.

The first product from Sonic Systems was this Ethernet card, which was incredibly successful. Just one year later, Apple OEMs were almost fully relying on this software, leading the company to expand its product offerings. However, they soon made the shift to external firewalls, and that’s where life began for the company we know and love today.

Introducing the First SonicWall Firewall

As far as the first SonicWall firewall, we had to wait until 1996 for this to happen. When you look at the first products the company offered in this field, you’ll find both the TZ 170 and the SOHO mentioned. Sreekanth Ravi wanted to find a way to protect their own internet systems, but many of these at the time cost around $20,000. He knew that this simply wasn’t an option for most small and medium-sized business owners. Instead, he wanted to find something that was suitable for companies such as his, with only a few dozen employees. This motivation to help other small business owners is what drives everything SonicWall does to this day. Everything deserves to protect their systems, no matter the shape and size of the company.

October 1997 saw the launch of Interpol, which was a more affordable and easier-to-use firewall. This was the first tool of its type designed for small and medium businesses, and it was immediately a big success with its users. The name of the device was updated the following year to SonicWall, which suggests the high speed and security the product offers. The name change was well received, so in 1999 in Sonic firewall history, we saw the company become SonicWall as we know it today.

Launching the SOHO

The SOHO firewall is still one of the most popular products in their range today. After the name change, the company introduced the SOHO and the PRO. The SOHO was designed with small businesses in mind, and the acronym is an abbreviation for Small Office, Home Office. This line is still one of our top sellers to this day, as it’s ideal for small business owners. The PRO was a good option for medium businesses or branch offices and offered a little more protection with these companies’ needs in mind.

As time went on, SonicWall only continued to expand its offerings. This saw the introduction of the Gen 2 product line, which included the popular SOHO2. Then followed the Global Management System, which allowed companies to manage multiple appliances from the brand in one place. This helped to expand the company’s offerings to slightly bigger businesses and encouraged users to purchase more than one firewall from SonicWall.

By the 2010s, the company had sold over one million units around the world. This decade was when we really saw the company come into its own and become one of the market leaders for small and medium businesses. The company has been granted over 325 patents since its launch, and in 2016, the recent SonicWall acquisition and name adjustment took place. While there has been a change in leadership since this time, we are excited to see what the future holds for the company, which continues to release new products each and every year.

The SonicWall history is certainly an interesting one, and it’s no surprise that SonicWall firewalls are still so incredibly popular to this day. With more concerns than ever before about security during the recent pandemic, we expect the SonicWall TZ firewall sales to only continue to grow each year. For more information about using a SonicWall firewall in your business, contact our team today. We’ll be happy to help answer any questions you have and support you in improving cybersecurity in your workplace.

The rising number of cyberattacks we’ve witnessed in the past years have given way to some new technology on the market. The SonicWall Gen 7 is a great example of this, and it’s helping to protect small and medium-sized businesses during these tough times. Buy a SonicWall Firewall here today to help your business stay ahead of the competition and avoid cyberattacks. Let’s take a look at the benefits of this new product range and how it will help your business in the future.

What is the SonicWall Gen 7 Firewall?

The SonicWall Gen 7 firewall range is some of the newest products on the market. This range of products is powered by SonicOS 7.0, which offers many benefits over other products out there today. It offers high-level performance for small and medium-sized businesses, and you’ll find that the high port density and other features make it a great value for money solution for most businesses. Any SonicWall firewall will protect you from even the most stealthy attackers. With the advancements in technology, these attacks are only becoming more and more difficult to avoid. However, SonicWall hardware is designed to protect your business and ensure you keep doing what you do best for many years to come.

SonicWall TZ Series

The incredible SonicWall TZ Series offers great performance levels for companies of all sizes. You’ll find that the automatic breach detection helps to avoid anything from getting into your system, as does the exceptional malware protection. With thirty years of experience in the industry, it’s no surprise the company has managed to create such a great product. It works at a very high speed and offers advanced threat prevention for businesses. We love that it offers up to 10 ports and can be expanded to provide up to 256G of storage. Finally, while it does offer all of these benefits, you’ll find that it’s very user-friendly. It has a single glass management pane, which you can learn to use very quickly once it’s installed.

The New SonicOS 7

To power the new SonicWall Gen 7 products, the SonicOS 7 system is one of the most high-tech operating systems in the cybersecurity world. It was built to deliver a modern user interface while keeping intuitive workflows in mind. You’ll find that it offers multiple features to facilitate workflows and is easy to manage. This allows businesses of any size to improve their efficiency, operations, and security. Any of the products that use this OS are incredible and will help you with sandboxing technology, Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection, and URL filtering.

It’s an excellent solution for businesses that have yet to invest in a firewall. If this is something you still need to do, we recommend you get to work with finding a solution for this in 2022. It’s never too late to update your technology and ensure you have the hardware to support you with this task. With threats evolving each month and year, it’s so important that you protect your hardware and data. You never know when someone or something could infiltrate your system. This might make you unable to operate for days, which could lead to disastrous consequences for your business.

Who Needs a SonicWall Gen 7 Firewall?

If you already have a SonicWall firewall, you might be wondering if you need to upgrade to the new solution. We highly recommend that you buy a SonicWall firewall if you don’t have one already. If you are using one of the older options on the market, it may be time to consider an upgrade. Sadly, attacks are getting more complex, and some of the old firewalls don’t offer such comprehensive solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Your business is never too small to invest in protecting your work. As you expand, you’ll find there are other SonicWall solutions that will help to protect you as you grow into a bigger business. We’ll be here to support you at any stage of your business growth and ensure you are fully protected year after year.

As you can see, there are many benefits to the new SonicWall products. Last year, the company celebrated its 30th year in business, and it’s only continuing to go from strength to strength year after year. You can be sure as time goes on that the company will continue to expand its solutions, offering modern technology to protect you from any threats that are out there. We encourage you to get in touch with our team today if you have any questions about the SonicWall range of products. We’ll be happy to find the right solution for your business and ensure you are fully protected as we continue through 2022. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you have about firewalls, so don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Introduction: 2021: A Turning Point in the War on Ransomware

Five years ago, a debate erupted surrounding the infamous NotPetya cyberattack: Did it constitute an act of war?

This issue continued to be debated in the courts throughout 2021, but on the battlefields of business networks around the world, cybercriminals were launching a full-bore offensive.

Ransomware climbed an unprecedented 105% in 2021, and the explosive growth of strategies such as double and even triple extortion ensured that these attacks were more successful than ever. But as cybercriminals have grown more sophisticated and successful, they’ve also grown more ruthless — many of the high-profile ransomware attacks in 2021 looked more like acts of war than ever before, endangering our food supply, our water supply, our fuel supply, our hospitals and our municipalities.

That the courts ultimately decided cyberattacks such as NotPetya do not, in fact, constitute acts of war is irrelevant: Fed up with cybercriminals growing rich off their constituents, leaders around the world — from the local level to the international stage — have brought the war to them.

The UN Cybersecurity Open-Ended Working Group in March 2021 endorsed a report containing cybersecurity recommendations, the first time that a process open to all countries has resulted in consensus on international cybersecurity.

In May 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a sweeping executive order on cybersecurity, which unifies cybersecurity standards across government agencies, emphasizes zero-trust principles and provides specific timelines for action.

In July, INTERPOL held its forum on ransomware. Advising that effectively preventing and disrupting ransomware would require “adopting the same international collaboration used to fight terrorism, human trafficking or mafia groups,” the group called for police agencies worldwide to form a global coalition with industry partners to stop ransomware’s exponential growth.

But perhaps the biggest testament to the threat ransomware poses to national security is the involvement of the U.S. military. In an interview with The New York Times, U.S. Cyber Command head Gen. Paul M. Nakasone explained that, while he once saw ransomware as the responsibility of law enforcement, attacks such as Colonial Pipeline and JBS represented a big enough threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure to warrant a more aggressive approach.

But this approach likely won’t include boots on the ground — an option that proves challenging given that a vast majority of these ransomware operators are in other countries, most of which are not U.S. allies and tend to only go after cybercriminals when it serves their agenda.

While high-profile arrests of cybercriminals continue, such as the REvil takedown in early 2022, they have been largely ineffective in stemming the tide of ransomware itself. The amount of time and resources required for each bust means that the criminal justice system is unable to keep up with the huge number of ransomware operators. And due to the lucrative nature of ransomware, as soon as one group is taken down, new ones rise to fill the void.

Instead, this approach will look a lot like their most ruthless attacks on civilians: a direct assault on their infrastructure. Pressure on the U.S. government to deploy intelligence and military solutions to attack the servers, networks and more used for cybercrime, dissemination of stolen data on the dark web and storing cryptocurrency payments is growing.

While he refrained from giving details, Nakasone confirmed that the military has taken an offensive stance against ransomware groups. One known example is when Cyber Command assisted in the recovery of millions in ransom that Colonial Pipeline paid to attackers.

Though recoveries such as this have historically been rare, this may be the first in an emerging trend. A major factor credited in this recovery is the work of a recently formed Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force. In an interview with Reuters, a senior U.S. DOJ official said the formation of this task force “elevates investigations of ransomware attacks to a similar priority as terrorism.”

As the amount of media attention and government involvement in the wake of high-profile attacks increases, these groups have grown wary, with many laying low or disappearing altogether. This could lead to groups lowering ransom demands in hopes of flying under the radar and continuing to hack another day — which could contribute to fewer attacks if success no longer means netting a life-changing fortune for the entire syndicate.

In other words, in the end, the most lethal shots to ransomware may well be the ones that hit where it hurts most: the wallet.

Read the full 66 page report here: https://www.sonicwall.com/medialibrary/en/white-pa...

hile you might have heard the term disaster recovery plan used in reference to other areas of your business before, you also need to think about this in terms of cybersecurity. A disaster continuity plan will help to protect you should a major disaster occur. Check out our firewall page here for more information about the products, which will be a huge part of this plan. They’ll help to avoid issues in the first place, offering your business years of protection during the most challenging of times.

What is a Disaster Recovery Plan?

A disaster recovery plan is sometimes referred to as an IT disaster recovery plan. It’s designed to help a business to execute their recovery process quickly and efficiently if any form of issue was to occur within their workplace. It is needed within any business that has an IT infrastructure, which is pretty much every business in the world today. It promotes speedy recovery, which is why a disaster continuity plan is so important to help your business get back on its feet following a disaster of any type.

The disaster recovery plan will lay out what your team should do before, during, or after the attack. As well as cybersecurity attacks, these plans can help you to recover following a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or tornado. You’ll also find these are used to discuss terrorism backup plans, which are sadly becoming more of a concern for businesses. No matter what situation your team find themselves in, a network disaster recovery plan can help to get you back to work as soon as possible.

Who Should Have a Disaster Recovery Plan?

Businesses of all shapes and sizes need a disaster recovery plan in order to manage their data. A lot of this data is critical for a business to survive, so you need to ensure the right steps are taken to avoid these issues. No matter how secure you believe your business is, cyberattacks are becoming more complex year after year. This plan can help provide a backup plan for any type of attack. It will be part of your wider business continuity plan, which discusses every element of your business and how you’ll react after a disaster.

Most companies have a plan in place for other types of issues, but they often don’t touch on the IT elements of the business. These are now so crucial to businesses, which is why a separate plan is needed with your IT systems in mind. You’ll need to analyse how your business operations will be impacted if you lose any of your data or hardware. In this situation, you’ll then need to have a backup plan ready to implement, which you can use to get back to the most important tasks you have to do. You can learn from past issues and lessons in order to create this plan, as well as read case studies from other businesses in your industry.

As well as focusing on the recovery after a disaster, you’ll find that business continuity and disaster recovery is something you need to think about before anything even happens. You need to train your team to ensure they know what to do each day to avoid issues. From there, they also need to be briefed about how to react if an emergency was to occur. The more people who know how to look out for cyberattacks, the more likely you’ll be to protect your company in the future. Products such as the SonicWall Gen 7 are here to support you and your BCDR with that task and minimise the chance of an attack in the first place.

Goals in Your Disaster Recovery Plan

A huge part of your business continuity strategy is writing down the goals you have in mind for your disaster recovery plan. You’ll find that these should state what you hope to achieve following a disaster. This should focus on your recovery time and the objective of recovery. You’ll want to state how much data you can afford to lose and how quickly you need to get everything back up and running to avoid disrupting your business. A network firewall is a huge part of this process and will help to reduce the chance of extensive downtime for your business. For small and medium-sized businesses, we highly recommend investing in a SonicWall firewall, which will protect your business from potential disasters.

By creating a disaster recovery plan, you’ll help to prepare yourself for any potential issues in the future. We encourage you to invest in a SonicWall firewall, which will be one of the main components of this plan. No matter what size of business you operate, it’s never too late to take action to avoid future issues and protect your business for years to come.

• National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) explains the logic behind its long-standing password advice for the first time
• Using three random words is more secure than traditional advice built around ‘password complexity’, experts argue
• Approach allows creation of passwords to ‘keep the bad guys out’ whilst remaining easy to remember

Cyber security experts have today (Friday) revealed in depth for the first time the logic behind their advice to use three random words when creating passwords.

In a new blog post, experts at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – which is a part of GCHQ – said a key reason for using three random words is they create a password which is easy to remember and strong enough to keep online accounts secure from cyber criminals.

The blog post noted that using three random words to coin a password is more effective than traditional advice to create complex passwords, which can be difficult to remember and yet guessable for criminals.

Other reasons for choosing the three random words approach were:

• Length. Passwords made from multiple words will generally be longer than passwords made from a single word and therefore meet minimum length requirements.
• Impact. 'Three random words' contains all the essential information in the title, and can be quickly explained, even to those who don't consider themselves computer experts.
• Novelty. A password containing multiple words encourages a range of passwords that have not previously been considered.
• Usability. It’s easier for users to enter a three random word password than one which contains a complex range of characters.

NCSC Technical Director Dr Ian Levy, said:

“Traditional password advice telling us to remember multiple complex passwords is simply daft.

“There are several good reasons why we decided on the three random words approach – not least because they create passwords which are both strong and easier to remember.

“By following this advice, people will be much less vulnerable to cyber criminals, and I'd encourage people to think about the passwords they use on their important accounts, and consider a password manager.”

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:

“Ensuring you use strong yet memorable passwords online and with smart products is more important than ever – our research has repeatedly highlighted poor security practices in a range of connected devices, from routers and wireless cameras to apps.

“There’s a reason why new legislation announced by the government to improve standards for smart devices includes a ban on generic default passwords – these can make it easy for hackers to take control of devices or even your home network.

“Strong passwords can stop cyber criminals in their tracks, and we’d urge everyone to ensure they adopt good practice to safeguard their data and privacy.”

Creating passwords using three random words is one of the six key steps recommended by the cross government Cyber Aware campaign to protect accounts and devices from most cyber crime. More information can be found at cyberaware.gov.uk.

The software development community was recently shaken by the news of the Log4j flaw. These vulnerabilities have only worked to show how critical cybersecurity protection is for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Go to the homepage here to learn more about how to protect yourself as we face these mounting concerns surrounding Log4Shell. Keep reading as we share with you the top tools to face these issues and protect your business in 2022.

What is the Issue with Log4Shell currently?

Log4Shell is the nickname that’s been given to the current vulnerability found within Log4j. As Log4j is used within so many applications, this has disrupted the software development industry more than anyone could have ever anticipated. With people reporting that their system has been hacked, it’s more important than ever to consider SonicWall products for your workplace.

The current issue with Log4j impacts laptops, mobile devices, and desktop computers using this software. However, many systems are at no risk whatsoever if they aren’t using anything which involves Log4j in its development. We are finding that companies that use web-based applications and internet-facing services are experiencing the most issues currently, but the Log4Shell vulnerability can be exploited by anyone to gain access to your system.

How to Overcome the Log4j Flaw

The good news is that help is at hand for anyone who fears they might be impacted by the Log4j vulnerabilities. You’ll find that SonicWall software and SonicWall firewalls are a good way to protect your business from both this current issue and further cyberattacks we may experience in 2022. This is the best way to secure your business and ensure you don’t lose precious data from your system this year. Another top tip for anyone who is concerned about whether Log4j was used in their applications is to keep everything up to date. If you are using Log4j in software development projects, make sure you update this to the most recent addition. They are working to make updates and overcome this issue, so you can continue safely using it.

The biggest issue with the current Log4j flaw is that it’s more of a back-end issue which isn’t so obvious to most business owners. Of course, your IT team may be more informed about these issues, but many people just keep working as usual without realising they might be risking their systems. The attackers are still trying to get through these huge gaps in the systems, which means they are causing havoc for companies around the world. There have certainly been some worrying reports about this flaw, and we encourage you to act quickly to avoid any further issues for your business.

What to Do If You Use Log4j

If your business is a direct user of Log4j, you need to take immediate action to overcome this issue. We recommend updating to the current version, which should have some of the flaws fixed. With older versions, make sure you go ahead and disable the lookup functionality. From there, you’ll need to restrict outbound connections, which will offer you an allow list that filters through anyone using your system. We highly recommend thinking about a long-term solution for security though, as it is likely this will be an ongoing issue throughout 2022.

The Benefits of SonicWall Products

To help overcome the Log4j flaw, we recommend looking into SonicWall products if you don’t already use them. They are some of the best options on the market to protect your business from cyberattacks this year. Even if you don’t feel too concerned about the Log4j flaw, we recommend taking this action anyway to ensure you are protected within your business.

The great thing about SonicWall is that it’s suitable for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Many small business owners think they don’t need to worry about these solutions, but that isn’t the case at all. You are just as vulnerable to an attack as a large corporation, and in most cases, this could completely devastate your business.

The Log4j flaw is something that we encourage all business owners to keep up to date with over the next few months. We hope this issue goes away soon, but sadly, it’s already caused a lot of problems for companies around the world. The sooner you put a system in place to protect yourself from cyberattacks, the more likely you’ll be to enjoy years of success within your business. If you are considering using SonicWall products this year, our team will be here to help you find the right solution for your business. Contact us today to discuss our full range of SonicWall products and how we can help you to prevent cyberattacks. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and support you during this concerning time.