Kaseya VSA Data Breach

Kaseya VSA Data Breach – Ways To Protect Your Business

As you are likely aware of the events that transpired over the 4th of July weekend, a tool that is widely used by Managed Service Providers, named Kaseya VSA, was one of the latest victims of a ransomware attack.

Kaseya is one of the more well-known remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions. Over 1,500 companies, including a grocery store chain in Sweden, schools, small businesses, startups, and railroad companies were impacted by the ransomware attack, leading many of the companies to halt their operations.

Kaseya has nearly 40,000 customers for its products, but not all of Kaseya’s customers use the affected tool​. Over the weekend, Kaseya released a statement informing the public that their VSA SaaS customers were “never at risk”.  In an update released by Kaseya on July 6, the company stated the following:

Fewer than 60 Kaseya customers, all of whom were using the VSA on-premises product, who were directly compromised by this attack.  While many of these customers provide IT services to multiple other companies, we understand the total impact thus far has been to fewer than 1,500 downstream businesses.

Hackers in the Kaseya ransomware attack exploited vulnerabilities in Kaseya’s software update process. The attack on Kaseya has been compared to the SolarWinds attack in which tools and solutions used by IT professionals were used to target the victims. Attacks like the Kaseya ransomware attack, known as supply chain attacks, are unfortunately occurring more frequently. In these attacks, ransomware groups distribute malicious code designed to extract payments from businesses.

The Risk of Cyber Attacks

For several years, cyberattacks have been a widespread threat to businesses of all sizes, malware continues to evolve, and more industries across the globe are at risk. By targeting software companies like Kaseya, ransomware groups can impact hundreds of thousands of systems before being halted by anti-virus or anti-malware defenses. The attack on Kaseya is just the latest in a string of cyberattacks that have been taking place since the start of 2021. Large businesses and organizations are not the only ones that ransomware gangs target. 43 percent of attacks are now aimed at small businesses.

Could Your Business Be Next?

As mentioned previously, 2021 has seen a string of cyberthreats, cyberattacks, and ransomware attacks. If you have not taken steps to protect your business from the potential threats that exist, you should definitely think about doing so. Cyberattacks can be compared to a virus, and you should make the necessary preparation to protect your business so it does not get sick. The safety measures you implement can save your business thousands of dollars.

Security Measures You Need To Avoid An Attack

Create a Backup and Disaster Recovery Strategy

From hourly backups to cybersecurity insurance, creating an effective plan that helps your business address threats and attacks and recover if you are a victim of an attack is important in making sure your business can withstand anything, even the worst-case scenario. It is not a matter of IF a cyberattack will affect your business, but WHEN. While backups are a much-needed addition to your comprehensive cybersecurity protection plan, your business should also implement an Incident Response Plan. An Incident Response Plan should detail what should happen in the event a cyberattack occurs.

Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Programs

Anti-virus software, anti-malware software, and other breach detection tools will add another layer of defense for your business. For your business to have the most effective cybersecurity protection is by using multiple layers of security measures. With multiple layers of defense, you can do your part in closing the gaps and loopholes that may exist.  Anti-virus and anti-malware software know what to look for on your systems and complete the action from taking place.

Understand Phishing and Learn How To Recognize It

Rogue messages are constantly dressed up to look like they came from legitimate sources. Spoofs are getting so good that it takes an effort not to click the link. We all receive phishing emails, but many phishing emails will come in short form. You have probably received many emails that have no context, but a file will be attached to the message. Typically, you will not know the sender, and it will instantly lead to suspicion. However, there are cases when the sender is recognized, and you will click the link or open the attachment. It is important that your employees have an understanding of phishing and how to spot them.

Educate Your Employees

Make it a point to send out any ransomware, data breaches, and other cyberattack news to your employees. This can include the businesses and organizations that were targeted, new cyber attack methods, and other information related to cyberattacks. Educating your staff on how these attacks happen and how to protect your business against these attacks should not just happen one time. The more you talk about cybersecurity protection, the more aware they will be. Your employees will also be more likely to make changes to their daily habits and will take the proper steps to defend the business in the longer run.

Encrypting files and holding them for ransom and data breaches have become widespread globally. Can you imagine seeing a message on your computer screen indicating that your files have been encrypted and the only way to retrieve your data is to pay a specific amount of money? Sounds scary, doesn’t it? The ransomware battle seems to be never-ending lately, but there are changes you can make within your business that will help you stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.

While the above methods are only a sample of layers you can add to your cybersecurity defense program, implementing these measures can save your business. If you would like more information on the latest news of the Kaseya VSA data breach or if you would like to know how you can build a cybersecurity defense program that will equip you with the tools you need to respond and recover, contact Colorado Computer Support.