Cyber resiliency for the modern workforce

What is ransomware?

Ransomware attacks are on the rise and becoming one of the top security threats for organizations. Unlike other types of cyber-attacks where the goal could be related to data destruction or data exfiltration, ransomware attacks are unique in that it’s a process that’s reversable; after paying the ransom, the victim should be able to decrypt the data.

Typical ransomware attacks start from similar attack channels like misconfigured or unpatched systems, accidentally downloaded attachments from malicious or phishing websites, and more. After infiltrating the internal systems, the perpetrator will discover files and connected resources (e.g., file shares) to find targets for encryption. Finally, when the actual attack starts, they will quickly encrypt as many files as possible to maximize the impact of the attack. However, due to the need to encrypt data, this process is much slower than malware that simply deletes data.

Protecting your systems against ransomeware

Similar to defense for other cyber threats, multiple layers of security measures are needed, including a strong password, MFA, regular patching, vulnerability assessments, intrusion detection, real-time anti-virus, end-point protection, and more. In addition, data backup is one of the most important aspects of this since ransomware attacks mainly target…well, data. Microsoft 365 has some degree of built-in protection against ransomware. It mainly uses versioning, the recycle bin, or preservation libraries as ways to recover older clean data after files have been encrypted by ransomware.

Cloud Backup extends the protection against ransomware with full-fidelity, immutable backups and much longer retention periods than the Microsoft 365 native options. This is also one of the main reasons customers use our services as insurance against ransomware.

As mentioned above, a ransomware attack takes longer to finish due to the need to encrypt data. If it can be detected early, customers could have a chance to start incident response sooner to reduce the impact scope. Ransomware Attack Detection functionality available with Cloud Backup for M365 includes:

• ‍Early event detection: A function that uses machine learning algorithms to detect unusual activities as well as potential ransomware attack events. Admins can also be notified when such events are detected.
• Quick investigation: Ransomware attacks are serious security incidents. The IT and security teams need to perform incident investigation as soon as possible to have a better understanding of the impact to formulate a plan to remediate the risk. Cloud Backup provides top-down charts/reports to help admins quickly drill into the areas of question to nail down the impacted scopes, which could greatly help shorten the investigation and restore times.
• Faster restore from a good backup: After an incident investigation is performed, users can then move to the remediation phase to restore data from a good backup. Cloud Backup provides easy-to-follow guidance with hints about the time range to restore from, which helps with faster and more precise recovery from backup data.

How ransomware attack detection works

Ransomware attack events have some unique behavior characteristics related to unusual activities and file encryption.

Anomaly behavior analysis

Cloud Backup has the intelligence to perform incremental backups (e.g., of new files, modifications, and deletions) in each backup job. Machine learning algorithms are used to monitor the change patterns to detect anomalies. Once unusual activities are detected, Cloud Backup will record them and share them with administrators for visibility.

Unusual activities may not necessarily mean security issues. They may happen from time to time in real life, such as during migration projects or when users reorganize or clean up their content. However, visibility about this would still be very helpful for admins in identifying potentially risky situations.

File encryption detection

On top of the machine learning Anomaly Detection results, advanced heuristic analysis algorithms are also applied to various factors related to the files so that Cloud Backup can more accurately determine whether the files involved are from a ransomware attack.

One thing worth noting is that both Anomaly Detection and File Encryption Detection are based on machine learning and statistical analysis of the information already passed through Cloud Backup. No interpretation of the data is involved, so there’s no impact on privacy during the analysis. As mentioned before, the most common scenarios are related to end-users, where the damage may seep into Microsoft 365 via a OneDrive sync. Cloud Backup’s ransomware detection will start from a OneDrive data source and later expand to other data sources.

Why choose Claro Enterprise Solutions for cloud backup services

At Claro Enterprise Solutions, we take a holistic approach to data protection and cyber resiliency. As a leading provider of multi-SaaS backup and recovery solutions, we offer our customers unparalleled flexibility, scalability, and security.

Our fully managed backup service delivers 24/7 support and granular control over your data, ensuring that you can quickly recover from any disruption, whether it's a ransomware attack or an accidental deletion. With built-in ransomware detection and prevention capabilities, we help you stay one step ahead of the latest threats.

But our value extends beyond just the technology. Our team of experts works closely with you to understand your unique business needs and tailor our solutions accordingly. We're your trusted partner dedicated to your long-term success. With Claro Enterprise Solutions, you can rest assured that your data is in safe hands.

By combining our powerful Cloud Backup technology with our expertise and personalized service, we provide a comprehensive cyber resiliency solution that addresses the complex challenges of today's digital landscape. Our approach not only protects your valuable data but also ensures business continuity and peace of mind in an increasingly threat-prone environment.

Wrapping up

With its long-term immutable backup data, machine learning-based anomaly and ransomware attack detection, and easy-to-follow UI reporting and navigation, Cloud Backup is one of the most important tools for customers to defend against ransomware attacks and ensure business continuity.

Our secure solutions will protect your collaboration system and your sensitive business information from exposure and loss. We enable collaboration resiliency so you can focus on running your business and collaborating with confidence.

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