SolarWinds malware attack on SMBs
Written by Camelot technology partner WatServ – Tyler Doerner, VP of Sales
By now, you’ve probably heard of the SolarWinds malware attack.
Highly sophisticated, the attack began in March 2020 and its ramifications to the US government and private companies (including Microsoft) are still being felt today.
Here’s what happened:
- SolarWinds is a Texas-based company that sells software that enables organizations to see what’s happening on their computer networks.
- Hackers based in Russia inserted malicious code into an update of SolarWind’s software, called Orion.
- Approximately 18,000 SolarWinds customers installed the tainted update onto their systems, affecting local, state and federal US agencies and private companies, including more than 40 customers from Microsoft.
- Known as a “supply-chain attack” since it infects software as it’s under assembly, the events enabled hackers to gain access to several government systems and turned a seemingly regular software update into a weapon.
What does this attack mean for SMBs everywhere?
The attack shows that it’s no longer enough to focus simply on prevention. With the growing number and level of sophistication of attacks, almost all small and medium-sized companies will experience a breach at some point.
Microsoft reports that, “In the past year, SMEs were the target of 43% of cyberattacks, and on average, the cost of each attack was $184,000, with a report suggesting that 60% of small businesses fold within six months of a cyberattack.”1
Rather than focus solely on preventing attacks, it’s critical to have a plan in place for when a breach does occur. As former FBI Director James Comey said, there are two types of companies: those who’ve been hacked, and those who don’t realize it yet.
WatServ helps SMBs prepare and recover from attacks with their Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) solution. With price points to suit your needs, the goal is to ensure your business is covered so you can stay focused on what matters most.
Want to learn more? Contact Tyler Doerner, VP of Sales at WatServ for more information. tyler.doerner@watserv.com