Ransomware Response Strategy for Businesses: 4 Ways to Leverage Cloud Storage

Ransomware infections pose a significant threat to a company's critical data and can cause severe damage. To prevent this, businesses need to implement effective countermeasures. Among these measures, leveraging cloud storage for ransomware defense plays a crucial role in data protection and recovery. In this post, we’ll explore how businesses can use cloud storage to safeguard their data against ransomware attacks and ensure they remain secure.

Source: Freepik

1. What is Ransomware?

Source: Freepik

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts data on a computer or server, blocking access to it, and then demands payment in exchange for restoring access. In other words, it takes data "hostage" and extorts money from the victim. Recently, the frequency and scale of ransomware attacks have been on the rise. These attacks not only affect individuals but also target businesses, leading to data loss and financial damage due to operational disruptions. This is particularly concerning in sectors like healthcare, finance, and public services, where the importance of data is critical, and the impact of a ransomware attack can be especially severe.

2. How to Prepare for Ransomware Infections?

Source: Freepik

When it comes to ransomware, it’s far more important to prepare in advance than to react after an attack occurs. To effectively protect your data, there are several essential ransomware defense strategies every business should implement.

1) Keep Security Software Updated

Ransomware often targets vulnerabilities in your system, so keeping your software up to date is crucial. Regularly updating your security software, operating system, and commonly used programs helps block attacks that exploit known vulnerabilities. Consistent updates not only defend against ransomware but also provide protection from other types of cyberattacks.

For added protection, using cloud storage solutions like Rakuten Drive—which offers file encryption and regular security updates—can help you manage data backup and recovery safely. By integrating these cloud solutions into your strategy, you can more effectively prepare for ransomware and other cybersecurity threats.

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2) Managing Shared Folder Access

Ransomware can spread rapidly through a network. Shared folders, if left unsecured or unnecessarily accessible, can become a major route for ransomware to propagate. It’s important to share only the folders that are absolutely necessary and to strictly control access permissions. Protect sensitive data by encrypting it or setting passwords, and minimize access rights for employees and users to reduce unnecessary risks. Regularly monitoring network traffic for unusual activity can also help detect malicious behaviors, such as ransomware, early on.

3) Implementing a Zero Trust Model

The Zero Trust model is a security approach that assumes no user or device inside or outside the network should be trusted by default. Each access request is verified at every stage, often using strong authentication methods like multi-factor authentication (MFA). This model enhances control over access by ensuring that only authenticated users are granted the appropriate permissions. Continuous monitoring of device activity within the network helps detect abnormal behavior, reducing the likelihood of threats like ransomware, especially in remote work environments or when using multiple devices.

4) Data Backup

One of the most critical steps in responding to ransomware is having a reliable data backup strategy. It’s important to maintain both offline backups (stored on devices disconnected from the internet) and cloud backups to ensure your data is well-protected. Set a short backup cycle and regularly test backup recovery to ensure it’s functioning as expected. Encrypt backup data to prevent unauthorized access, and when using offline backups, physically disconnect devices when not in use. For cloud backups, ensure proper access control and encryption to safeguard the data.

3. 4 Ways to Use Cloud Storage for Ransomware Protection

Source: Freepik

As the threat of ransomware continues to grow, using cloud storage as a defense strategy has become increasingly important. Cloud storage is an effective tool for enhancing data security and protecting critical files from ransomware attacks. In this section, we'll explore four key ways businesses can leverage cloud storage to respond to ransomware threats.

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1) Cloud Backup

Cloud backup is one of the most effective methods to protect data from ransomware. Even if local files are encrypted by a ransomware infection, cloud-based backups allow you to restore damaged data from a secure backup. When using cloud storage for backups, ensure that features like versioning and deletion prevention are available. Additionally, cloud backup services often provide automated backup functionality, meaning your data is saved regularly without needing manual intervention. This makes recovery faster and more efficient, and it allows access from multiple devices for easy restoration of files.

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2) Using Multiple Data Centers

One key aspect of cloud security is the distribution of data across multiple data centers worldwide to maximize reliability. If an issue occurs in one data center, data stored in other centers can be used for recovery, ensuring continuity. This structure helps prevent a single point of failure (SPOF), where a failure in one part of the system, such as a server or network component, could bring down the entire system.

3) User Access Control

Another critical element of cloud security is user access control. Ransomware often spreads through compromised user accounts, exploiting network vulnerabilities. Cloud storage allows administrators to set specific access permissions for folders and files, minimizing the risk of such attacks. For instance, sensitive data can be restricted to certain users, or read-only access can be granted to prevent modification or deletion. Proper access management is also essential for strengthening internal security.

4) Data Encryption

Cloud storage uses robust encryption technologies to protect data during both upload and download processes. By utilizing protocols such as TLS or SSL, data is encrypted to ensure that third parties cannot intercept or misuse it during transmission. Additionally, data stored in the cloud remains encrypted on the server, providing extra protection for critical files and ensuring their safety.

4. Secure Cloud Storage with Rakuten Drive!

Rakuten Drive is a cloud storage solution that ensures the safe storage and management of your data. It complies with international data security standards by obtaining ISO 27001 and ISO 27017 certifications. With file encryption and regular cloud security updates, Rakuten Drive offers robust ransomware protection, providing businesses with a secure environment to store and manage their data confidently.

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Especially, a key advantage of Rakuten Drive is its affordable pricing plans, which allow businesses to benefit from both strong security and server scalability without the heavy cost burden. With customizable plans based on your company's size and required storage capacity, you can experience cost-effective cloud storage. Features like user-specific access controls and file version management help you effectively manage business data.

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Today, we’ve covered how to use cloud storage to defend against ransomware attacks. To minimize the damage caused by ransomware infections, preventive measures and systematic data management are crucial. If you want to protect your data securely while using a cost-effective cloud storage solution, why not give Rakuten Drive a try?