Almost nine out of ten educational establishments have experienced a successful cyberattack. For ransomware attacks specifically, a 2023 study by Sophos notes that 80% of schools have been affected, up by 64% from the previous year. 

Schools suffer from a lack of cybersecurity budget and in-house expertise. They also suffer because of the sensitive nature of their data. Shannon Goodsell, superintendent of the Arizona 2,000-student Window Rock Unified School District, described the increase in K-12 cyberattacks as “uncharted waters;” a description shared and echoed by many schools across the globe. 

As a school, strengthening your cybersecurity posture requires an understanding of how to spot early signs of a ransomware attack on your school.

What is ransomware? 

Ransomware is a malicious type of software designed to block access to a computer system or data until a sum of money, or ransom, is paid. It does this by encrypting the files on the system, making them inaccessible to the file’s owners. Ransomware attacks have become one of the most prevalent and damaging forms of cyber threats, especially in sectors like education where sensitive data is abundant and, in many instances, easily accessible to ransomware attackers.

In a typical ransomware attack, cybercriminals deploy the malware through deceptive links, email attachments, or vulnerabilities in the network. Once activated, the ransomware encrypts valuable data — such as student records, financial information, and administrative documents — to make them inaccessible to users. Victims are then presented with a ransom note demanding payment, usually in cryptocurrency, to receive a decryption key.

The risk posed by ransomware is particularly acute in educational settings due to the wealth of personal and sensitive data stored, often with insufficient cybersecurity measures due to budget constraints. Moreover, the disruption to educational services is oftentimes significant, impacting teaching, learning, reputation, financial state, and the administration of schools. As such, understanding and identifying ransomware threats early can help mitigate the risk of a ransomware infection.

Why do schools need ransomware detection?

Ransomware attacks disrupt the core functions of a school district, from administrative operations to classroom activities. Consequently, schools suffer from financial strain. Financial repercussions extend beyond the immediate costs of ransom demands: Schools must also allocate funds for system repairs, data recovery, and security enhancements post-attack.

Regarding compliance, educational institutions are held to high standards for data protection. Regulations in the U.S. impose strict guidelines on handling student information. A school’s lack of mitigatory measures that facilitate an otherwise avoidable ransomware breach could compromise compliance, leading to penalties, mandatory audits, and increased regulatory scrutiny. 

In a different vein, schools need ransomware detection for the sake of student safety. When hackers access sensitive data such as health records and personal identification, they can use it for malicious purposes, including identity theft and personal attacks targeted at students. The implications of such breaches extend far beyond immediate financial losses, affecting students’ and families’ lives long-term.

Additionally, a successful ransomware attack can result in the loss of community trust, leading to decreased enrollment and reduced funding. Recovery from such reputational damage often requires significant time and resources that many schools don’t have. 

Signs of ransomware

Here are seven signs that may suggest the presence of ransomware in your school’s network. 

1. Phishing attempts: Suspicious emails that include links or attachments from unknown sources can be a precursor to ransomware. These emails often mimic legitimate communications while containing malicious payloads.

2. Unauthorized access alerts: Any unexpected notifications or logs indicating access to the system by unrecognized users can signal a breach that may lead to or indicate a ransomware attack.

3. Virus protection alerts: Antivirus and anti-malware tools may send alerts about detected threats. Such alerts, especially those indicating the blocking or detection of ransomware, should never be ignored.

4. Missing or altered files: Sudden disappearance or unexplained changes in file details or formats can be indicative of the encryption process used in ransomware attacks.

5. Unexpected network scanners: The presence of network scanning tools or unusual network activity might indicate that an attacker is exploring the network to identify valuable data or additional systems to infect.

6. Slow system performance: A general slowdown in network or computer performance can occur when ransomware uses system resources to encrypt files covertly.

7. Presence of Mimikatz: Detection of tools like Mimikatz, which are used to retrieve passwords from memory, can be a sign that attackers are attempting to gain access. 

Fortunately, when it comes to detecting a ransomware attack early, much of the heavy lifting is done by next-generation, budget-friendly software. Particularly in protecting your school’s cloud posture, advanced cybersecurity platforms work to detect and mitigate threats by continuously monitoring for unusual activity, providing real-time alerts, and automating responses to potential security breaches in cloud-based environments.

Spotting ransomware in the cloud

Implementing additional layers of security works to further enhance your school’s cybersecurity posture. Spotting ransomware in the cloud includes looking for:

• Unusual data access patterns: Sudden spikes in data access or large volumes of data being transferred can indicate the presence of ransomware encrypting files.

• Unauthorized logins: Frequent login attempts from unknown locations or devices, especially if they occur outside of normal operating hours, can be a sign of a compromised account.

• Unexpected file changes: Files that are suddenly encrypted or have their extensions changed without authorization can suggest ransomware activity.

• Disabled security features: If security software or features such as firewalls or antivirus programs are inexplicably turned off or malfunctioning, it could be the work of ransomware trying to avoid detection.

• Suspicious network activity: Unusual network traffic, such as unexpected communications with external servers, can signal that ransomware is attempting to communicate with its command and control servers.

Enhance your cloud security with ManagedMethods

Implementing cloud security layers involves integrating advanced threat detection systems that continuously monitor for suspicious activities within your cloud services. 

Cloud Monitor does just that: It provides real-time monitoring and analysis of your school district’s Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 environments without the need for complex installations or additional hardware. By leveraging deep API integrations, Cloud Monitor can detect suspicious behavior, unauthorized access attempts, and unusual data transfer patterns. It also continuously scans for known and emerging threats, such as phishing and malware, and can automatically quarantine or delete suspicious files and emails.

Moreover, Cloud Monitor offers robust data loss prevention features that help protect sensitive student and staff information from being accidentally exposed or maliciously accessed. It can identify and mitigate risks associated with third-party applications by assigning risk scores based on their permissions and usage patterns.

The post How to spot signs of ransomware in your school district appeared first on ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12 authored by Alexa Sander. Read the original post at: https://managedmethods.com/blog/signs-of-ransomware/