Ransomware Strikes Libraries Again
How quickly the year goes. As we approach the end of 2023, many people are starting to look forward to the upcoming holiday season. Unfortunately for the Toronto Public Library, many staff there have something else top of mind right now with their recent ransomware attack. Full details can be found here: https://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/tpl_maintenance/toronto-public-library-website-maintenance.html
As pointed out in the article, it’s a sad state of affairs when organizations focused on social benefits to society (and often with razor thin budgets) are now being targeted by these attacks. However, this can serve as an opportunity to highlight how these attacks often happen, and some basic steps we can take to defend ourselves.
Typically, attacks have high success rates through two common vectors: emails and social engineering. Even the most advanced security systems cannot stop all malicious emails, and we have essentially no technical way to defend against nefarious human behaviour. That said, we can ask ourselves some basic questions when receiving suspicious interactions (whether they be through emails, phone calls, or in person engagements) that can make things much clearer:
- Was I expecting this?
- Am I 100% confident this is legitimate, or does something feel off?
- Is there a request for sensitive data (ex/ password reset, SIN, etc.)?
With these three basic questions, this will help you weed out the majority of security risks both within your personal and professional life. When in doubt, always validate the source (ex/ go directly to the corresponding website, call the company you are receiving services from, check with a friend/colleague, etc.). If you’re still unsure about anything professional, please don’t hesitate to reach out your IT department. A two-minute call or email is significantly less time consuming and costly than unraveling the nightmare that ransomware attacks can present, which often take months to sort out at 6, 7, or even 8 figure costs.
Stay safe out there, and have a great holiday season!
Ryan Goff
Desktop & Network Administrator, Peace Library System