Exploit: Ransomware
NAFO: International fisheries organization
Risk to Small Business: 1.542 = Extreme
A ransomware attack has compromised the organization’s servers, making them unusable. Consequently, NAFO’s website has been inaccessible for more than a week, and a critical database for an upcoming scientific council is inoperable. NAFO had previously been warned of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, but they failed to take action, which may have contributed to this effective ransomware attack. Now the organization must decide if they will pay the undisclosed ransomware or attempt to restore systems in other ways. Regardless, it will be an expensive recovery process for the organization and its employees.
Individual Risk: At this time, no personal information was compromised in the breach.
Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Customers’ Business: Ransomware attacks are devastating for small businesses, which often lack the robust resources of larger corporations to restore operations. In an already-challenging business environment, ensuring that your digital environment is prepared to defend against these attacks should be a top priority. As NAFO learned the hard way, failing to repair small vulnerabilities can have outsized consequences.