93% of UAE businesses concerned about ransomware attacks, according to a Cybereason report highlighting disconnect between perceived threat and preparedness.
Cybereason today published a global study of 1,200+ security professionals at organisations that have previously suffered a successful ransomware attack on a holiday or weekend. The study highlights the disconnect between organizational risk and preparedness.
The report, titled Organizations at Risk: Ransomware Attackers Don’t Take Holidays, found that the majority of security professionals in the UAE (93%) expressed high concern about imminent ransomware attacks. There also seems to be a disconnect between the risk ransomware poses to organizations during these off-hour periods and their preparedness moving into the holiday season. The report comes at a time when two-thirds of international organisations have reported suffering a ransomware attack in 2021.
The Human Element
This disconnect is highlighted by the fact that 39% of respondents in the UAE attributed the previous successful holiday ransomware attack to not having the right cybersecurity coverage plan or because the company was only operating a skeleton crew. This has led to security teams (90%) missing holidays or weekend activities to respond to an attack.
Technology Issues
65% of UAE respondents said a ransomware attack against their organization was successful because they did not have the right security solutions in place. Just 44% reported having an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution in place.
Organizational Impact
60% of UAE respondents said a lack of preparedness resulted in delays in assessing the scope of an attack, 58% required longer to mount an effective response and 46% required a longer period to fully recover from the attack. 23% of UAE respondents reported their organizations suffered revenue losses as a direct result.
“Ransomware attackers don’t take time off for holidays. The most disruptive ransomware attacks in 2021 have occurred over weekends and during major holidays when attackers know they have the advantage over targeted organizations,” said Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Cybereason, Lior Div. “This research proves out the fact that organizations are not adequately prepared and need to take additional steps to assure they have the right people, processes and technologies in place so they can effectively respond to ransomware attacks and protect their critical assets.”
Hope for the future
UAE businesses are concerned about ransomware and are aware of the need to enhance their cybersecurity defence. 77% of respondents stated that their organizations would be adding new technology, 60% are building a more robust contingency plan and 50% are planning to increase cybersecurity staff cover over the holidays.
