Articles of interest from the week of August 19, 2019

Are You Prepared to Defend Against Ransomware?

One of the most telling statistics from this year’s Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) is that Ransomware remains a serious threat to all industries and accounts for nearly a quarter of all malware based attacks.  Ransomware has become so widespread and commonplace that a normal attack garners neither the shock of security professionals nor the attention of the media.  (By Sarena O'Donnell, Ingalls Information Security)

Coordinated Ransomware Attack Hits 23 Texas Government Agencies

Researchers say that the targeted ransomware cyberattack on 23 Texas local and state entities represents a shift from “attacks of opportunity” to more targeted, malicious attacks. (By Lindsey O’Donnell, Threatpost)

How to Protect Your Business from Phishing Scams

According to a recent report, 90% of all data breaches can be traced back to phishing attacks. Despite how common they are, however, few businesses know how to effectively protect themselves from this damaging cybercrime. (By Sam Woodhams, CPO Magazine)

The Flaw in Vulnerability Management: It's Time to Get Real

Companies will never be 100% immune to cyberattacks. But by having a realistic view of the basics, starting with endpoint vulnerabilities, we can build for a safer future. (By Jim Sounders, Dark Reading)

What is Managed Detection and Response? Definition, Benefits, How to Choose a Vendor, and More

According to Gartner, managed detection and response (MDR) vendors provide services to companies and organizations that aim to improve the way they detect threats, respond to incidents, and monitor their IT assets continuously. (By Ellen Zhang, Digital Guardian)