Can Flexible Work Decrease Organizational Joy?
Technological advancements and shifting attitudes towards work have resulted in a sustained...
November 15th, 2021
According to McAfee, an industry-leading computer security company, ransomware is a type of “malware that employs encryption to hold a victim’s information at ransom. A user or organization’s critical data is encrypted so that they cannot access files, databases, or applications. A ransom is then demanded to provide access.”
These attacks are occurring at an alarming rate. According to Recorded Future, a Boston-based security firm, there were 65,000 attacks last year in the United States alone. That’s more than seven per hour!
Ransomware attacks aren’t just happening to individual users on their personal devices. Data thieves are turning their eyes towards entire organizations with economically devastating effects. In 2021, the average remediation cost, which includes business downtime, lost orders, operational costs, and ransom payments was, $1.85 million.
Because human resource (HR) professionals handle highly sensitive data (e.g., social security numbers, dates of birth, bank details, home addresses, etc.), they are a lucrative target for ransomware hackers. As a result, HR must become familiar with the best practices for protecting themselves and their organizations against ransomware attacks.
While there is no way to immunize every device in an organization from ransomware attacks, there are several steps that HR professionals and the organizations that support them can take to decrease the chances of an attack and limit the damage if one occurs.
When it comes to ransomware, prevention is far better than remediation. Below are strategies that HR can follow to ward off an attack before it captures and locks down their data.
Even the best preventions strategies are not foolproof. Accidents happen, and hackers are constantly working to create new ways of accessing organizational data. As a result, HR must develop an incident response plan that includes but is not limited to the following steps:
Technological advancements and shifting attitudes towards work have resulted in a sustained...
Over the past few years, conversations regarding employee well-being have reached an all-time high....
Over the course of the pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression rose dramatically. Studies...
As has been well discussed, the pandemic led many organizations to consider alternative work...
After learning the benefits and drawbacks of remote work, many companies are opting for a partial...
As return-to-office transitions prove to be a tough sell, many companies are opting for the carrot...
In a conversation with HealthLeaders, UnitedHealth Group (UHG) Chief Medical Officer Donna O'Shea...
The pandemic forced the world to run a collective field experiment in remote work. By and large,...
Much ink has been spilled over the dramatic rise in resignations during the pandemic. Often, the...
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives are essential for correcting...