Blog Post

The Rise of Ransomware Attacks - What Can You Do? What Should You Do?

Simplify IT • 12 May 2021

It is a sad fact that Ransomware Attacks are on the rise. It's big business for bad actors, and as it has proven to be very lucrative and increasingly successful, more cybercriminal gangs, lone wolves and state-sponsored groups are using ransomware attacks as their modus operandi. This is even more evident during the COVID 19 crisis, with more remote workers and thus more potential vulnerabilities and threat vectors.


According to figures from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, 8% of UK businesses experienced a ransomware attack in the past 12 months, with the figure rising to 14% and 16% among medium and large organisations respectively. While the government advises businesses not to pay up (for several very sound reasons), 58% of UK based SMEs are reported to pay ransoms. So you can see the problem, and it's not going away any time soon.


I'm sure most if not all of those successfully attacked either thought it wouldn't happen to them, or believed they had adequate protection. Unfortunately the risk of an attack is increasing with every hour, and whether you're a giant US fuel pipeline company like Colonial, The NHS or a small business just making its way, nobody is truly 100% safe and your data is your lifeblood.

Colonial Pipeline Attack


The Colonial Pipeline cyberattack took place on May 7, 2021, when Colonial Pipeline - an American oil pipeline system that originates in Houston, Texas and carries fuel oil to an area mostly comprising the Southeastern United States, suffered a ransomware cyberattack that forced them to shut down their system.

Nightmare Scenario


This is exactly what you never want to see. An example of a ransomware notice that appears on victims' computer screens when their precious data is hijacked and held to ransom by cybercriminals. Make sure you do everything you can to prevent this happening to you.

So what can you do? What can we do? The best bet right now, and for the foreseeable future, is to have the best multi-layered defence you can, with the best contingency planning and processes for every eventuality - including what happens if your defence are breached..

What does that look like? Well, while solutions and good practices will be fairly consistent for most organisations, there isn't a silver bullet. Your defence and planning might look slightly different to another organisation depending on things like your digital estate, systems, communications, storage and of course, your budget.


Therefore, Simplify IT suggest an initial consultancy to identify the exact tailored multi-layered defence for your organisation. We have the expertise and partnerships to identify and deploy the protection you need, so that you give yourself the very best chance of business continuity.


If you want to know more, why not fill in the form below and we'll get in touch. There's no obligation, and whether you choose Simplify IT as your cyber security partner or not, please keep your data safe.

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