Steve Grewal is the former CISO, CTO, and CIO for the U.S. Dept. of Education, and currently, the CTO, Federal, for data management company Cohesity. He is working with government agencies to address cybersecurity issues, specifically the growing number of ransomware attacks.

In 2020, we have already seen many high-profile ransomware attacks against hospitals, state, municipal, and government agencies and organizations. This includes Los Angeles County, Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas, ExecuPharm, Boston Children’s Hospital, and more. Malicious hackers will continue searching for their next target, and ransoms will continue to be paid.

However, many fail to realize that there are strategies for combating ransomware attacks, which ensure that a ransom does not need to be paid, regardless of its severity. As the global pandemic puts an enormous financial strain on many private and public sector organizations, it is more important than ever for organizations to know what to do in the case of a successful ransomware attack.

Malicious hackers will continue searching for their next target, and ransoms will continue to be paid. However, many fail to realize that there are strategies for combating ransomware attacks, which ensure that a ransom does not need to be paid, regardless of the severity of the attack. As the global pandemic puts an enormous financial strain on many private and public sector organizations, it is more important than ever for organizations to know what to do in the case of a successful ransomware attack.