Researchers state that users are unprepared for the threat that ransomware strains targeting NAS and backup storage pose. As these ransomware strains grow in popularity, hospitals, commercial enterprises, and individuals are targeted. Once malware is deployed on a system, it typically encrypts files and demands payment through a ransom note to restore access to content. Consumers frequently come across ransomware through phishing campaigns. Researchers at Kaspersky say that Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are under direct threat from malware operators.
NAS systems provide centralized storage capacity for entreprise purposes and home setups. Kaspersky says the problem is that authentication can be bypassed due to software in NAS systems that contain vulnerabilities. Although there was little evidence of NAS devices targeted in 2018, new ransomware has emerged containing NAS exploitation capabilities. Kaspersky’s Q3 threat report states that the overall detection of ransomware attacks dropped by 11% this year. Ransomware modifications have increased greatly in the past 12 months, from 5,195 to 13,138.
Read More: New ransomware attacks target your NAS devices, backup storage
