Old School Lessons for Handling Ransomware in the Digital Age
Summary
This article discusses the importance of revisiting and re-implementing 'old school' ransomware incident preparedness strategies that were common in the pre-cloud era. It highlights three underappreciated practices: manual business continuity procedures, comprehensive infrastructure backups beyond just data, and practical RPO/RTO planning for offline or internet-based backups.
IFF Assessment
The article highlights that common ransomware defenses are failing due to over-reliance on modern, complex systems and a neglect of simpler, manual fallback mechanisms, indicating a worsening threat landscape for defenders.
Defender Context
Defenders need to be aware that relying solely on cloud-native or automated backup solutions may leave them vulnerable during sophisticated ransomware attacks that target or disrupt these systems. Re-evaluating and integrating manual contingency plans and robust offline backup strategies is crucial for maintaining business continuity.