Employing a Reboot to Restore Solution on computer systems can offer peace of mind for network administrators when trying to plan for the worst. Deep Freeze from Faronics can help put minds at ease and enhance network security.
Malware samples are discovered every day. An early-2014 report published by Panda Security found an average of 82,000 new threats emerged every day in 2013. However, a more recent study found that nearly 1 million new malware samples were created each day, according to CNN.
In today’s complicated cybersecurity landscape, it can help to partner with someone who know what’s what when it comes to keeping IT infrastructure safe from cybercriminals. Let’s take a look at a few situations where it would be useful to have a reboot to restore solution like Deep Freeze installed on the computers at your company’s office:
1. Malware intrusion at the bank
CNBC recently reported that British banking institutions came under fire from a group of hackers that stole money using malicious software – to the tune of $30.7 million. The malware responsible, called Dridex, infiltrated bankers’ systems when they opened unknown attachments in malicious emails. Then, the malware collected login data when these users accessed their online bank accounts. Experts estimated that the program is responsible for the theft of nearly $100 million worldwide.
In a situation like this where banking data is being stolen directly from a user’s computer, a reboot to restore solution like Deep Freeze would be useful in wiping equipment clean of malware intrusions. By booting the system up using a snapshot from an earlier point in time, Deep Freeze can take a computer back to the configurations that existed before the infection.
2. Malvertising at The Daily Mail
There may be a legitimate reason to avoid online advertisements now. According to the BBC, ads for the Daily Mail’s website, Mail Online, that appeared to be marketing shoes were actually malicious adverts that linked unsuspecting readers to ransomware. Computing reported that hackers gained access to the Daily Mail’s automated advertising platform and was using that to infect the computers of those who clicked on the ads. They took advantage of security flaws in the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser and Adobe Flash plugin.
With Deep Freeze, system administrators can return systems to previously saved settings from before a user clicked on the malvert. Because of the nature of reboot to restore solutions, it would be like the malware had never infiltrated the computer. In addition, administrators should make sure to take the fullest advantage of their computer restore software by investing in a data storage solution, like MyCloudDrive from Faronics, so that if the deployment of Deep Freeze is necessary, system managers can ensure files and documents aren’t lost.
3. Ransomware in general
Ransomware is a program that locks a computer system and won’t allow the user to load files or programs until a sum of money is paid. According to TechWeekEurope, ransomware is typically attached to an email and, once opened, installs itself on the user’s computer. As seen in the Daily Mail incident, however, ransomware can also lurk in online links, making it dangerous indeed.
Ransomware attacks are only getting worse and more frequent as time progresses. Recent attacks include those carried out by malware like CryptoLocker and CoinVault, but instead of preparing themselves for these kinds of intrusions, companies are remaining complacent. A recent survey found that only 37 percent of businesses worldwide view ransomware as a serious threat. It’s crucial for businesses to learn how to deal with this kind of malware – and that reboot to restore solution could make a difference in computer systems in the long run.
Investing in Deep Freeze from Faronics can be the first step on the way to a cleaner, better-functioning computing environment for all of your systems. All of these situations can be assuaged with a reboot to restore solution, because with just the press of a button, hard drives can be restored to their previous settings – without the malicious program in tow.
Contact the security experts at Faronics today to see how our solutions, like Deep Freeze, can help keep your computer system safe from malware and improve your cybersecurity on all fronts.
