5 years after its inception, ‘No More Ransom’, the collaborative effort formed to combat ransomware attackers, has logged some impressive numbers.
When ‘No More Ransom’, a public & private sector initiative designed to thwart ransomware, started 5 years ago, it only had 4 decryptors in its arsenal. The names of the ransomware variants may bring back unpleasant memories: Shade, CryptXXX, CoinVault.
121 Tools
5 years later, the initiative has more than 30x that figure: 121 tools designed to help consumers crack 151 ransomware families.
That’s one way the group has grown. It also disclosed on Mon. that to date, the group has helped prevent roughly $1b from winding up in the hands of attackers.
According to Europol this week, the tools have prevented in excess of 900m Euros – over $1b USD – of criminal profit.
That sum correlates to 6m consumers & companies that were able to sidestep the ransom demands of attackers & keep their files for free.
European Cybercrime Centre
The group, which was founded in 2016 with help from the Netherlands’ National High Tech Crime Unit – a division of the country’s police & Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, runs an online portal that’s translated into 37 different languages.
While not every strain of ransomware has a decryptor available on No More Ransom, new ones are being added all the time. No More Ransom’s website notes that new decryptors for the Lorenz, Avaddon, Ziggy, & FONIX ransomware strains have recently been added.
Since launching, in addition to helping businesses & consumers decrypt their files, the group has provided instructions around mitigating ransomware & what to do if you’ve found your machine has been infected.
Key Steps
To celebrate its 5th anniversary, No More Ransom reiterated some of its key steps to prevent ransomware infections:
- Regularly back up data stored on your electronic devices
- Watch your clicks – do you know where a link will take you?
- Beware of attachments in emails
- Ensure that your security software & operating system are up to date
- If you become a victim, do not pay. Report the crime & check No More Ransom for decryption tools
Self-Explanatory
While some of the tips are self-explanatory & may seem obvious to some, they’re worth restating, especially for any consumers who may not be familiar with the ins & outs of ransomware.
The US Biden administration has attempted to cut off ransomware players of late, 1st by forming a ransomware task force to disrupt operations, & through tracing the usage of cryptocurrencies in ransomware transactions.
https://www.cybernewsgroup.co.uk/virtual-conference-september-2021/
