Ransomware Attacks & Data Centers: Here’s What You Should Do

The month of December this year began with a massive ransomware attack targeting CyrusOne – a major US data center provider. The ransomware REvil (Sodinokibi) affected six of CyrusOne’s customers from its New York data center located in Wappingers. While the attack grabbed headlines, it also got a lot of security experts emphasizing on the need to take proactive measures to protect data centers.

Here are some ways you can protect your data centers and fend off ransomware attacks in the future:

Contrary to popular opinion, ransomware attacks are more than just stealing data. Such attacks focus on restricting access to data either by encrypting them or locking the screen until the financial demands are met. Businesses end up wasting a whole lot of time and work, especially small businesses that do have an efficient strategy in place. Instead of trying to crack the encryption, the best course of action would be to back up the server data. A good backup strategy involves copying all documents and important files until the time it got infected. So in the event of an attack, you have the option to start from scratch by wiping your systems and reinstalling from safe backups, and clean sources and operating systems.

Install a good backup strategy

Experts have found that old, obsolete operating systems with vulnerabilities often fall prey to ransomware attacks. Restoring backups isn’t a viable solution for most companies considering it can lead to significant downtime. Organizations, big or small, should emphasize the need to keep their devices updated, right from ensuring they function with the latest operating systems to installing the newest security software and devices in the market.

Update device programs, operating systems, and software

Patches are crucial to protect data centers from a possible ransomware attack. The key is to identify the right patches relevant to the data centers so that through analytics, data center managers can detect any unusual behavior, monitor the progress of various activities, and keep a report of it all. It is, in fact, recommended that these managers also create a white list of applications for their servers.

Keep systems patched

Ultimately, it’s all about taking preventive measures to deal with such a scenario. It should be noted that attackers no longer target careless users who end up clicking on malicious links. Data centers, albeit more narrow-focused, should have its machines locked down, with managers constantly aware of all the latest trends and attacks floating around. In addition to these points, also ensure that your primary and backup data are never at the same site and can’t be accessed on the same network. Protecting your data center from physical breaches are also important, with several steps to take to enhance its security.

Hardy Racks is an ISO certified company and a leading manufacturer of data center equipment. We understand the importance of protecting a data center from remote or physical breaches. Our SmartLock systems guarantee the highest level of physical security and are easily deployable, cost-efficient, and compatible with a variety of server racks. For a free demo or for an expert consultation on how to set up and run your data center efficiently, get in touch with us today!