The U.S. Cyber Defense Agency through the FBI recently warned of a ransomware attack that is affecting Outlook and Gmail users.
Known as Medusa, the ransomware has been used to carry out attacks since 2021 till now by the threat actors known as “Medusa actors”.
If you’re an Outlook or Gmail user, continue reading to see how you can protect yourself from these threats and keep your information safe and secure.
How the attacks work
The Medusa actors employ a double extortion model, where they encrypt victims’ data and threaten to publicly release exfiltrated data if a ransom is not paid.
They usually reach victims through phishing campaigns and software vulnerabilities. Once they are able to access the user’s account, they steal their information and encrypt it.
Next, they will enter the extortion phase, where they send a ransom note to the victim demanding that they make contact within 48 hours or their data will be sold.
How to protect your Outlook and Gmail accounts
To ensure that you don’t become a victim of these ransomware attacks, you should take the following steps as soon as possible.
- Use strong passwords: One simple solution that many Outlook and Gmail users ignore is the use of strong passwords. You should use long and complex passwords that include capital and small letters as well as numbers and special symbols such as @, ?, /, %, #, etc. This makes the password more difficult to guess. Also, do not make a habit of changing your passwords too often as this weakens your passwords.
- Use multifactor authentication (MFA): You may have heard of two-factor authentication before, but have you heard of multifactor authentication? It is 2FA on steroids and as expected, is more effective at securing your account. Basically, MFA requires extra information such as passwords, Captcha, email and phone confirmations etc to access accounts. Ensure to use it for webmail, virtual private networks, and accounts that access critical systems.
- Keep your systems up to date: One area where Medusa actors exploit vulnerability is when there is outdated software or firmware. To prevent this, ensure that all operating systems, software, and firmware are up to date. This patches all vulnerabilities and is one of the most effective and cheapest ways to protect yourself from cyber attacks.
- Use a network monitoring tool: You can also use a network monitoring tool to Identify, detect, and investigate abnormal activity and potential traversal of the indicated ransomware. This is a tool that logs and reports all network traffic, including lateral movement activity on a network.
- Require VPNs for remote access: Most people know VPNs as a way of keeping themselves anonymous, but they don’t realize that they also protect against cyber attacks. Always use one for remote access to ensure that any threat is detected on time and you can be protected.
- Have an offline backup: Maintaining an offline backup is one of the most effective ways to protect your data from the Medusa actors. That way, if they succeed in stealing and encrypting your data, you can always have a backup to fall back on.
- Encrypt backup data: Apart from ensuring that you have an offline data backup, you also need to encrypt the data to ensure that it cannot be altered or deleted. Only then can you be truly protected.
Closing thoughts
Cyber threats are real and they have been on the increase lately. The FBI warning is therefore timely, and those who heed it can effectively protect themselves from not only the Medusa actors but also any other form of internet threat.
If you follow the guidelines in this article, you will be well protected and ready to prevent any such attacks from getting to you.
Remember, it is better to act before the time of the attack, so take a step now and you can be sure of protection should the Medusa actors show up for you because nobody knows who’s next.
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