Ransomware is a form of malware that cyber criminals use to encrypt the victim’s file then demand a payment – often in Bitcoin – in exchange for the decryption key. Ransom demands can reach millions of dollars.

Between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world have been affected by a ransomware attack centered on

U.S. information technology firm Kaseya, its chief executive said Monday.

The CEO of kaseya’s, Fred Voccola, said that the hacker hired mainly on kaseya’s customers. And the hacker had taken all data of local and small businesses.

Kaseya provides software tools to information technology outsourcing shops: companies that typically handle back-office work for companies too small or modestly resourced to have their own tech departments.

Many of Kaseya’s customers are managed service providers, using Kaseya’s technology to manage IT infrastructure for local and small businesses with fewer than 30 employees, such as dentists’ offices, small accounting offices and local restaurants.

“Our cybersecurity teams are working around the clock to get our customers back up and running,” said by Fred Voccola.

Affected activities:

The hackers to paralyze hundreds of businesses on five continents. Although most of those affected have been small concerns such as dentists’ offices or accountants, the disruption has been felt more keenly in Sweden, where hundreds of supermarkets had to close because their cash registers were inoperative, or New Zealand, where schools and kindergartens were knocked offline.

“We understand that every second they are shut down, it impacts their livelihood, which is why we’re working feverishly to get this resolved.” Said by CEO

The Russian-linked gang behind the ransomware had demanded $70 million to restore all the affected businesses’s data, although they have indicated a willingness to temper their demands in private conversations with a cybersecurity expert and with Reuters.

Voccola’s was in the process of fixing a vulnerability in the software that the hackers had executed the ransomware attack, some information security professionals said that the hackers were monitoring this company’s communications form the inside.

Remediation:

• Keep your programs and operating system up to date. This makes it harder for cyber -criminals to exploit vulnerabilities in your programs.
• If the ransomware is not newone, than find the decryption key for this website (nomoreransom.org).
• To minimize the risk of downloading ransomware, never download software or media files from unknown sites.
• Make sure anti-virus and anti-malware solutions are set to automatically update and run regular
• Avoid clicking on links in spam messages or on unknown
• Back up data regularly and double-check that those backups were
• Secure your backups. Make sure they are not connected to the computers and networks they are backing
• Create a continuity plan in case your business or organization is the victim of a ransomware
• To stay protected, avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions or use a secure VPN service.