Data Protection and Ransomware: How to Safeguard Your Business

Learn how solid data protection strategies can shield your business from ransomware, ensuring secure backups, quick recovery, and operational resilience.

Editorial Staffs

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, targeting businesses of all sizes with devastating financial and operational consequences. In 2023 alone, ransomware incidents accounted for billions of dollars in damages globally, with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often bearing the brunt due to limited resources.

Data protection is one of the most effective ways to combat ransomware, providing businesses with the tools to safeguard critical information and recover quickly without paying a ransom.

In this article, we will explore the relationship between data protection and ransomware defense, outlining strategies, benefits, and real-world examples.

What is Ransomware and Why Is It a Threat?

Ransomware isn’t just about the risk of losing data or money- it’s bigger than that. A lot of these attacks actually help fund terrorist organizations, which is something we don’t often think about. If we’re not careful, we could end up making things worse without even realizing it. It’s not just about protecting your business; it’s about understanding the bigger picture and doing our part to prevent even greater harm.

Alan Leong

CallNet technical director

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts a victim’s data, rendering it inaccessible until a ransom is paid. Attackers often exploit vulnerabilities such as weak passwords, outdated software, or phishing emails to infiltrate systems.

Key facts about ransomware

According to Sophos report, ransom payment almost doubled Y-o-Y, reaching up to $1,542,333 in 2023.
According to Sophos report, ransom payment almost doubled Y-o-Y, reaching up to $1,542,333 in 2023.
  • Global Threat: According to Cybersecurity Ventures, ransomware attacks occur every 10 seconds globally.
  • Financial Damage: According to Sophos’ The State of Ransomware 2023, the average cost of a ransomware attack, including downtime, is estimated at USD 4.5 million.
  • Impact on SMEs: Many SMEs in Malaysia face prolonged downtime or closure due to the financial strain of these attacks. For example, low-cost airline AirAsia was hit by a ransomware attack from Daixin Team in 2022 and saw the loss of data on five million passengers and employees.

Ransomware’s impact goes beyond immediate monetary losses – it damages reputation and erodes customer trust.

How Data Protection Defends Against Ransomware

Data protection is a proactive defense strategy that ensures business-critical information remains secure, even during an attack. Here’s how:

  • Regular Automated Backups: Frequent backups minimize the risk of data loss by creating a secure copy of critical files.
  • Air-Gapped and Off-Site Storage: Storing backups in separate, isolated locations prevents ransomware from accessing or encrypting them.
  • Immutable Backups: These backups cannot be altered or deleted, ensuring a clean copy is always available for recovery.
  • Recovery Systems: Data protection tools enable businesses to restore operations quickly, bypassing the need to negotiate with attackers.

Real-World Example

According to the Sophos 2023 report, a mid-sized retail business experienced a ransomware attack that encrypted their customer databases and inventory management systems. The attackers demanded USD 300,000 in ransom.

However, the business had implemented a robust data protection strategy, including immutable cloud backups and regular system testing. This allowed them to:

  • Restore Data Quickly: They recovered their encrypted files within 24 hours without paying the ransom.
  • Minimize Downtime: Operations resumed within a day, preventing significant revenue loss.
  • Avoid Financial Loss: The cost of their data protection setup was a fraction of the ransom demand.

This case highlights the importance of proactive data protection in mitigating ransomware risks and ensuring business continuity​.

How to Implement a Solid Data Protection Strategy

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Risk Assessment

The first step is to evaluate the risks specific to your business. Begin by identifying which systems and data are critical to daily operations. For instance, a retail business may prioritize point-of-sale (POS) systems, while a healthcare organization would focus on patient records. Assess potential vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure, such as unpatched software, weak credentials, or unsegmented networks.

Once you’ve identified critical assets, define your Recovery Time Objective (RTO)—how quickly you need systems restored—and Recovery Point Objective (RPO)—the maximum amount of data loss your business can tolerate.

These metrics will guide the selection of backup and recovery tools and shape your overall disaster recovery plan. Remember, the smaller your RTO and RPO, the more advanced and frequent your backups need to be.

2. Implement Secure Backup Solutions

Backups are the cornerstone of data protection. To stay resilience against ransomware – you should adopt air-gapped backups, which are stored in isolated environments disconnected from the main network. This prevents ransomware from spreading to backup systems.

Cloud-based backup solutions also play a vital role in modern strategies. They provide scalability, cost-effectiveness, and security features like role-based access control and encryption. These solutions ensure your data is accessible during recovery while remaining protected from unauthorized access.

3. Automate Backup Processes

Manual backups are prone to human error, such as missed schedules or incomplete files. Automation eliminates these risks, ensuring that backups occur regularly and consistently without manual intervention. Backup automation software can be configured to create daily, incremental, or real-time backups, depending on your RPO requirements.

Regular validation of backups is equally critical. Businesses should conduct periodic checks to confirm the integrity and accessibility of backup files. This step prevents scenarios where backups are corrupted or incomplete, rendering them useless during recovery.

4. Develop a Tailored Disaster Recovery Plan

A comprehensive disaster recovery plan (DRP) integrates data protection with operational continuity strategies. Start by creating a hierarchy of systems and data, prioritizing what needs to be restored first. For example, a manufacturing business may prioritize restoring ERP systems for supply chain management, while a financial firm may focus on transaction records.

The DRP should include detailed workflows outlining recovery steps, assigned responsibilities, and escalation protocols. Testing the DRP regularly is crucial. Simulate scenarios such as ransomware attacks or server outages to evaluate how quickly systems can be restored. These tests highlight gaps in the plan and provide opportunities for optimization.

5. Implement Ransomware-Specific Measures

Ransomware-specific defenses are an essential layer of protection.

Immutable backups, which cannot be modified or deleted, ensure you always have a clean version of your data available for recovery. Pair these backups with ransomware detection tools, such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) systems, to identify and isolate suspicious activity before it spreads.

Additionally, you should deploy network segmentation to limit the lateral movement of ransomware across systems. Isolating backup environments from production networks, for instance, ensures ransomware cannot access critical recovery files.

6. Train Your Employees

Employees are often the weakest link in cybersecurity, with phishing emails remaining a primary entry point for ransomware. Regular training programs can educate staff on recognizing suspicious emails, avoiding risky downloads, and reporting potential threats. Emphasize the importance of adhering to security policies, such as using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA), to prevent unauthorized access.

Training should be complemented by simulated phishing exercises to assess employee vigilance and provide actionable feedback for improvement.

7. Partner with Data Protection Experts

For businesses lacking the internal resources or expertise to implement data protection measures, partnering with experienced providers can be a game-changer. Data protection experts can assess your specific needs, recommend tailored solutions, and manage your backups and recovery systems.

In Malaysia, compliance with regulations like the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) is critical, and working with local providers ensures adherence to these standards.

A managed service provider can also offer continuous monitoring and rapid support during recovery, minimizing downtime and financial impact. For instance, businesses that use managed services to deploy cloud-based immutable backups and ransomware detection tools often recover significantly faster than those relying on in-house teams alone.

How Callnet Solution Helps Businesses Combat Ransomware?

At Callnet Solution, we specialize in providing end-to-end cybersecurity services to safeguard Malaysian businesses from ransomware.

Our offerings include:

  • Secure Backup Solutions: Automated and immutable backups ensure your data is always recoverable.
  • Disaster Recovery Planning: Tailored strategies to minimize downtime during attacks.
  • Advanced Ransomware Detection Tools: Proactive threat identification to stop ransomware before it spreads.
WithSecure - Cybersecurity Solutions Malaysia
TrendMicro - Cybersecurity Solutions Malaysia
Trellix  - Cybersecurity Solutions Malaysia
Sangfor - Cybersecurity Solutions Malaysia
Sophos - Cybersecurity Solutions Malaysia

Conclusion

Ransomware is a persistent and evolving threat, but you can defend themselves effectively with a solid data protection strategy. By combining secure backups, disaster recovery plans, and employee training, companies can minimize downtime and financial losses while safeguarding their reputation.

Protect your business today – Contact us for a free consultation to stay resilient against ransomware attacks.

Article By Editorial Staffs

The Editorial Staff at Callnet Solution brings together a seasoned team of IT professionals, collectively boasting over two decades of expertise in enterprise IT management, cloud solutions, and cybersecurity. Since its inception in 2016, Callnet Solution has emerged as a premier IT service provider in Malaysia, renowned for its innovative solutions and commitment to excellence in the tech industry.
Editorial Staffs

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