A ransomware attack last spring at Simon Fraser University (SFU) reportedly compromised the personal information of about 250,000 students, faculty and alumni. The bad actors breached a database that contained the personal information of every person who joined the school before June 20, 2019.
The school had previously faced similar ransomware attacks, but not of this scope. Data from web forms was compromised, including online applications for teacher assistant positions, financial aid advising and admission deferral requests.
An effective privileged access management solution using a Zero Trust approach is key.
By verifying who is requesting access, the context of the request, as well as the risk of the access environment, organizations can minimize the impact of a ransomware attack and prevent malware from spreading through a network.