Crossword Cybersecurity Plc Launches Ransomware Readiness Assessment Service

Crossword Cybersecurity Plc, the cybersecurity solutions company focused on cyber strategy and risk announces the launch of its new Ransomware Readiness Assessment service.

The service helps organizations reduce their exposure to ransomware attacks, provides detailed assessments on areas requiring protection, and recommends how they should respond to attacks.  

Ransomware

Ransomware is a malware designed to deny a user or organization access to files on their computer. By encrypting these files and demanding a ransom payment for the decryption key, cyber attackers place organizations in a position where paying the ransom can be seen as the easiest and cheapest way to regain access to their files. 

Currently, ransomware attacks are endemic across all industry sectors, the speed of response and lowering the risk of an attack are everything.

Impact of a ransomware attack

Successful ransomware attacks almost always result in a significant portion of data being stolen

78% of organizations experienced an attack in 2021, of which 68% resulted in successful infections. The cost of these attacks can extend far beyond recovering systems and the ransom if paid.

Successful ransomware attacks almost always result in a significant portion of an organization’s data being stolen, with associated costs including reputational damage, the loss of customers, a long-term loss of productivity during systems recovery, rising insurance premiums, and an estimated 80% chance of a repeat attack. Ultimately, ransomware attacks can close a business down.

Cutting the risk of attack

The Ransomware Readiness Assessment service leverages Crossword’s worldwide experience in providing cyber threat intelligence and incident response services to organizations large and small.

Conducted by the Nightingale security monitoring team, using an industry-specific approach and cyber incident response forensics, an organization’s current exposure, control systems, and ability to respond to a ransomware incident are analyzed in detail.

Detailed analysis 

Following the assessment, a detailed report is provided to the client with an overall ‘preparedness score’

Following the assessment, a detailed report is provided to the client with an overall ‘preparedness score’ together with pragmatic advice on how to improve preparedness in each area. 

Implementation support is also available from Crossword’s Consulting Division, which has extensive experience in helping companies recover from and reduce the risk of attacks.

Areas of assessment 

The three assessments in the service cover the following areas regarding an organization’s operational readiness:

• Exposure – Identify, qualify, and understand the specific weaknesses in an organization that ransomware attacks exploit, including domain impersonation, cloud configurations, and remote access vulnerabilities. 
• Controls – Evaluate an organization’s current security measures against typical ransomware attack mechanisms, such as phishing, which exploit, bypass, and evade weak security controls. 
• Response – Explore an organization’s response capabilities with a real-world ransomware attack scenario, to determine the effectiveness of its containment and recovery strategy. 

Providing cybersecurity aid

Stuart Jubb, Group Managing Director for Crossword Cybersecurity, said, “The true cost of a ransomware attack is far-reaching, and it is simply not enough to rely on your technical infrastructure as a means of defense. The ability and speed of response to a ransomware attack are critical. It must be methodical, proactive, and unemotional."

"Crossword’s Ransomware Readiness Assessment service helps organizations test the processes they have in place, achieve a cybersecurity stance that mitigates risks and gives them the tools to act when faced with an attack.”