Global Cyber Attack Strikes Again: How to Arm Your Organization Against Viruses like WannaCry and Petya

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Just weeks after WannaCry, thousands of organizations have once again fallen victim to a global ransomware infection known as Petya. Even the Dutch container terminals of APM in the Rotterdam harbor have been affected. The culprit? A simple click on a phishing email. But how can you defend your organization against such cyber attacks?

You’ve invested heavily in the latest security technology, so it’s impossible for cybercriminals to prey on you, right? Unfortunately not! More than just good IT security is required to ensure that your data doesn’t end up on the street. If you truly want to protect your company against cyber attacks, involve your employees in the fight against cybercrime by increasing cybersecurity awareness.

Quickly reach your employees

Studies show that 95 percent of all successful cyber attacks are caused by human errors. Clicking on a link in an email without thinking can have devastating consequences for your organization. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly inform your employees of the danger and emphasize that they should never click on anything without thought. Prevention is better than cure in this case as well.

Faster and better alternative to email

When the news about Petya reached us yesterday, just after office hours, we immediately informed all our employees. Not by sending an email – because not everyone checks their inbox after work – but by sending a push notification through our employee app.

Within seconds of sending the message, an unmistakable notification appeared on the mobile phones of all colleagues, urging them to be vigilant. Since we also added a convenient confirmation button to the message, I could precisely track who had actually seen and read the message.

The next morning, employees were once again reminded of the dos and don’ts in the face of a cyber threat. This time, it was done at their workplace. Upon starting their computers, they received a pop-up message with useful information and clear instructions on their desktop screens.

Do you also want to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals? Request a free demo today! Or download our free checklist on cybersecurity.