Can Your SMB Stand Up to Petya 2.0 Ransomware?

Posted November 12, 2019

In Blog, Managed IT Service Providers, Managed IT Services, Managed Network Services, Managed Service Provider, Managed Services

A single vulnerability or carelessly opened email can cost your company millions of dollars. Ransomware comes in all shapes and sizes, from compromised attachments to malicious apps.

Once it’s latched onto your devices, you’re at the mercy of the virus and its creator. Soon enough, a “ransom note” arrives demanding payment to unlock your systems or unencrypt your devices. Every moment that you wait ticks closer to total destruction of your data, and the potential cost of rebuilding after the attack seems to dwarf the cost of just paying the ransom.

Unfortunately for SMBs across the globe, this situation is becoming the rule instead of the exception. In 2018, ransomware damages hit a staggering $8 billion. One study found that nearly 70,000 computers are infected every month, topping out at over 2 million per year. Traditional AV and cybersecurity methods are no longer enough to keep a new breed of cyber criminals at bay.

Petya 2.0: More Power in One Malicious Package

Ransomware in any form is frightening enough, but a new superbug called Petya 2.0 is quickly climbing the rankings as one of the most infectious viruses tech specialists have battled.

It first emerged in June of 2017 as a fake order confirmation form attached to a phishing email. Once opened, it exploits the EternalBlue vulnerability, moving laterally through the network by controlling remote admin programs like PsExec and the WMIC command tool.

While this is not the first virus to make use of those functions, Petya 2.0 is unique in its ability to completely lock down and encrypt a device’s Master Boot Record. While traditional ransomware focuses on removing access to particular files or applications, Petya 2.0 bars any use of the OS, rendering the device useless.

Proactive Monitoring is a Necessity

With these aggressive forms of ransomware, protection needs to go beyond the first line of defense. Creating multiple layers of protection is the best way to stop ransomware before it happens.

According to recent Internet Security Report from WatchGuard:

“Our Q1 Internet Security Report pointed out… 38% of malware gets past legacy AV, this is why services like IPS, sandboxing, and detection and response are so critical. No single solution is going to provide 100% coverage.”

With WatchGuard hardware and Verus expertise, you can rest easy knowing that two teams of award-winning experts in cybersecurity are behind your network. At Verus, we take a holistic approach to your protection. We know that the more layers you have surrounding your network, the more difficult it is for malware to affect your business. We design, implement, and support networks that meet the highest standards for data, firewall and connectivity security, keeping you online and your data safe.

Kyle Vinar

Kyle Vinar is Partner / President of Verus Corporation. He oversees all business operations and coaches Verus teams to continually improve on their solutions from client experience to product development and overall solution implementation. He works with all Verus resources to increase efficiencies and excellence in every aspect of their organizational roles. Kyle believes that people are the last real competitive edge that a company can have and constructing a rich culture is a vital step in running a world-class organization. Therefore he strives to create a culture within Verus that allows everyone to show up authentically and grow both personally and professionally, which in turn allows Verus Corp team members to provide clients with top-of-the-line service. Kyle helps balance strategy, capacity, and culture in such a way that has allowed Verus Corp to achieve exponential growth since he joined the company in 2013. One of Kyle’s greatest professional achievements has been in helping lay the foundation upon which Verus Corporation could be named the 2nd Best Place to Work by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Kyle holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from St. Cloud State University. He lives in Champlin with his wife and 3 children. He has enjoyed volunteering as a soccer coach for over 6 years and was the former Director of Coaching for Rebels Soccer Club. If Kyle isn’t on the sidelines of one of his children’s soccer games or in the audience of his eldest’s musicals, he can often be found cruising scenic routes on his Harley, in a deer stand, or on the golf course.