The Tabush Cloud & Managed IT Blog

Ransomware is not a new phenomenon but for cybercriminals it has become a popular technique to use.  In a ransomware attack, cybercriminals block access to a business or individual’s computer system and hold data hostage until a ransom is paid.  Here, cybercriminals have just one goal - to receive payment from the victim.  Even if the victim is able to pay the ransom, there is no guarantee the criminal will provide the decryption key to release the data.

Recently, ransomware attacks have become significant threats to corporations, cities, and even nations.  In the third quarter of 2019, the average ransomware payout increased to $41,000, a 13% increase from the second quarter.  Also in 2019, 55% of SMBs paid cybercriminals to recover their stolen data.  If nothing else, 2019 proved that ransomware is still a profitable business for cybercriminals and it will continue to get worse.

Last year, I met the managing partner of a law firm who was in the middle of moving to a new practice management system.  The firm had been on the existing software solution for close to two decades, and Jim (as we’ll call him here), was a bit anxious about the change.  When I asked him why, he said that overall they were happy with the software they’d grown to know and master all these years, but “it’s not in the cloud, and everyone says we need to be in the cloud, so we’re changing” (to a web-based system).

Fast forward to last week when Jim and I caught up and he’s now looking to change back.  “The new system is sleek and cool, and it’s nice that it’s in the cloud, but it just doesn’t do some of the things that we need, and even after all the work we put into migration, we’ve decided to switch back.  Can you help us?” he asked me.

On January 14, 2020, Microsoft Windows 7 reached end of life.  What does this mean?  Microsoft is no longer providing technical support, software patches, or security updates for Windows 7.  If your firm is still running on Windows 7, you are probably questioning – what do I do now?  Windows 7 will still work, however, it is strongly recommended to update your systems to the latest software, such as Windows 10, as soon as possible.  

2019 was yet another successful year of innovation and development here at Tabush Group.  We launched a new service, continue to innovate Boxtop, and also provided meaningful industry insights.  As we kick off 2020, we reflect on 2 topics that were the most popular and compelling to you.

As a leading provider of solutions in the technological landscape, we are proud of our continuous efforts to innovate.  Our team strives to improve who we are, what we do, and how we enact change.  We are not only empowered to take risks but are encouraged to act and grow in partnership with one another.

With innovation at our very core, we champion the development of our company through the growth of our employees.  At Tabush Group, employees hone skills necessary to excel in their careers and collaborate with other departments to gain a wider depth of knowledge.

Our core values are intrinsic to us: we believe in a team-centric environment, in which our coworkers value and share each other’s unique talents and passions. We are founded on integrity, innovation, and most importantly, care for our employees and clients. Whether you are a network engineer, helpdesk technician, or business manager at heart, Tabush Group has a place for you. 

On any given day, you might find us leading change in technology solutions while planning our next team event. At Tabush Group, we are committed to collaboration, employee wellness, and our community. We are built with a work-well, be-mindful mentality and exercise awareness of the world around us.

“The attack starts, innocently enough, with an email. But when someone clicks the link inside, hackers quickly take over.”  Once a cybercriminal is in your network, they start demanding a ransom.  Immediately, questions arise: What exactly is ransomware?  What should we do now?  Why were we targeted?  How could we have prevented this?

Ransomware attacks are on the rise and cybercriminals have increasingly started to target all types of businesses, no matter their size.  Your business is a target and increased discussion about your business’s IT security can help prevent an attack.

Legal case management software platform, TrialWorks, was hit by a ransomware attack in mid-October.  Some of the company’s customers were unable to access their case management accounts for a couple of days!  This is a reputable company that is widely used, and this attack brought the law firms’ productivity to a halt when they could not access client data, case notes, communications, billing, and more.

While it’s unknown exactly what malware infected the software, experts are presuming that the firm paid the ransomware to obtain the decryption keys and restore files.  Within days, TrialWorks announced that it hired several cybersecurity firms to investigate the incident and help restore normal operations.