Best Practices to Reduce Ransomware Impact

D.

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts a victim's files

In response to the threat of ransomware, the organization has already implemented cybersecurity awareness activities. The risk practitioner's BEST recommendation to further reduce the impact of ransomware attacks would be to implement continuous data backup controls (option D).

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts an organization's data and demands a ransom in exchange for restoring access to the data. If an organization falls victim to a ransomware attack and does not have a backup of its data, it may be forced to either pay the ransom or permanently lose access to its data, which can have significant consequences.

By implementing continuous data backup controls, the organization ensures that regular and frequent backups of its data are performed. This means that even if the organization's data is encrypted by ransomware, it can restore its systems and data from the backups, minimizing the impact of the attack.

While options A, B, and C (encryption for data at rest, encryption for data in motion, and two-factor authentication) are important security measures, they may not directly address the impact of ransomware attacks in the same way as continuous data backup controls.

Encryption for data at rest (option A) refers to the process of encrypting data that is stored on devices or systems. While encryption provides an additional layer of protection for sensitive data, it does not directly address the impact of ransomware attacks. Ransomware typically targets live data and encrypts it, regardless of whether it is already encrypted at rest.

Encryption for data in motion (option B) focuses on protecting data while it is being transmitted between systems or over networks. While this measure is crucial for securing data in transit, it does not specifically address the impact of ransomware attacks. Ransomware primarily targets data stored within an organization's systems.

Two-factor authentication (option C) adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide additional verification factors, such as a password and a unique code sent to their mobile device. While two-factor authentication is an effective measure for preventing unauthorized access to systems and data, it does not directly mitigate the impact of ransomware attacks.

In summary, while options A, B, and C are important security measures, the BEST recommendation to further reduce the impact of ransomware attacks would be to implement continuous data backup controls (option D). This ensures that the organization has recent and usable backups of its data, enabling it to recover from a ransomware attack without succumbing to the demands of the attackers.