The growing threat of Ransomware has reached yet another peak with the recent announcement that the FBI is seeking emergency help in order to investigate a new form of the virus known as MSIL/Samas. The danger of this version of Ransomware is that instead of focusing the attack on one computer at a time, it targets entire networks at once. The FBI’s emergency email suggests that the best course of action, should one be infected by MSIL/Samas virus, is to contact FBI’s CYWATCH cyber center if they are able to come across any valuable information in regards to their attack. Indeed, the best course of action concerning a Ransomware attack this dangerous would be to check every available option, particularly if the FBI is offering assistance. Ben Johnson, co-founder of Carbon Black, says “this is basically becoming a national cyber emergency.”
The FBI has provided a list of possible symptoms to help determine whether or not companies have fallen victim to the virus with the hope that it will help to mitigate damage and reduce similar attacks in the future. The FBI also warns that the healthcare industry is at particular risk, due to its dependency on using computers for critical functions. If your company falls under such attacks, immediately alert authorities and take all necessary actions.