Hacking attacks are becoming a real issue, and a very big problem, especially recently. Not too long ago, we’ve had a great ransomware attack that has brought the attention of an entire world to this issue, and many companies that were affected are still not back to their old way of business.
However, that’s still not the worst thing that could have happened to those companies, because no matter how bad ransomware attacks are, they’re still better than data wiping attacks.
Ransomware is basically a kidnapping of your files and data on your device, but no matter how devastating it is, it still provides you with some chance of getting it all, or at least some of it, back. On the other hand, when the data wiping attack comes, it’s all gone, and permanently, most of the time.
Recovery is extremely hard, and sometimes even impossible, imagine what would happen if we had a data wiping attack that was the same size as WannaCry ransomware attack, and realize how big of an impact would that have been. That’s exactly why you should learn how to protect yourself, and how not to become a victim of a data wiping attack. Just keep reading, and after we’ve explained it in detail, we’re going to go over some tips on how to prevent it.
More about the data wiping attacks
So basically, as we already said, data wiping attacks are attacks where all data is completely destroyed and deleted on a device that’s being targeted. Most of these attacks are software-based and can infect the device through the usual methods of attack.
Data wiping is a special kind of attack, and shouldn’t be confused with regular file erasure commands. If you simply erase the file, you’re deleting its virtual link, and if you have the right tools, the file can be recovered quite easily.
However, when it comes to data wiping, recovery is out of the question, since the file doesn’t only have its virtual link deleted, but it’s completely eradicated from the hard disk.
That’s why it’s so important, and so dangerous too. It’s one thing to have your game or calendar completely deleted, but for companies, this is something that ruins businesses and can lead to complete destruction of large organizations and enterprises.
The most popular data wipers
Shamoon
Shamoon is a virus that’s very well-known and quite notorious. It was involved in many attacks since it was first discovered back in 2012. When it appeared, it attacked Saudi Aramco and several other oil-based firms from Saudi Arabia. It was also seen in November of 2016 when it once again attacked Saudi Arabia, only this time, it hit several government offices.
StoneDrill
Researchers believe that StoneDrill is an improved version of Shamoon, and it was first discovered by the Kaspersky Lab, a Russian antivirus company. The discovery of this wiper was made earlier this year, in March, and it was targeting European networks at the time. Several details connected to its method of operation suggests that it could be connected to Shamoon, which is why the researchers have come up with a theory that it’s actually its enhanced version. A ransomware module that’s added to it, as well as evasion capabilities that it possesses, are only two of the similarities.
Dark Seoul
Dark Seoul has first appeared in March of 2013. It attacked South Korea and deleted the files on over 32,000 of their PCs. The attack affected several banks, news organizations, and even government offices, all of which had to shut down. It then reappeared once more in 2015, and on that occasion, it targeted European logistics and transportation center.
How to protect yourself from data wiping attacks
By now, you can probably tell just how bad these attacks can get. That’s why you need to learn how to protect your files, and we’ll now list some tips on how to do both – avoid attacks, as well as protect yourself against them.
- Do not delay software upgrades. These updates come for a reason, and every app and program has a weak spot. Those weak spots can be used to break into your computer, and the developers know that. That’s why they’re constantly working on finding them and fixing them. They then send updates to you, so that you wouldn’t be in danger of getting hacked. So, don’t avoid software patches, because even the smallest one might protect your device from getting completely wiped.
- Click carefully. Data wiping attack might have much greater consequences than a regular malware or ransomware attack, but they spread and infect on pretty much the same way. Downloading suspicious files, and clicking on infected images and similar things could lead to getting a wiper on your device.
- Avoid shady and suspicious websites. There are tons of websites that are crawling with malware, especially those filled with adult content. Those and similar untrusted websites are the most likely malware and wiper carriers, and they are the ones that are the most responsible for infections. You should do well to remember that and avoid content like this.
- Get a VPN. VPNs are one of the best ways of protection against threats like these. They’re so good that they got popular almost immediately as they stepped out of the shadows of the internet. We now have hundreds, if not thousands of different providers, and many of them truly offer decent protection. We would recommend using PIA, IPVanish, GhostVPN and TorGuard as the best ones, but you’re always welcome to try and find another one if none of these work for you.
How can a VPN protect you?
VPNs can make your browsing sessions safe and secure. After all, that’s what they’re designed to do. They can mask your IP address by replacing it with a fake one so that nobody can get to the information like your location, or anything else that an IP can give away.
They are also capable of completely hiding your online actions through the use of strong encryptions. They protect from malware, ads, and prying eyes of pretty much anyone, including your ISPs. On top of that, they provide you with tons of other features, and that’s why we definitely recommend using it for your own safety.
Conclusion
Using the internet without protection and hoping that nothing bad is going to happen is pretty reckless, and it could lead to losing your data or getting it held for ransom in the best-case scenario. In this guide, we’ve mentioned several ways of protecting yourself, and we strongly recommend doing it.
Just to be clear, there is not perfect security, and everything can be breached, however, the more layers of security you put there, the more you’ll be protected, and the regular, automatic attacks would not be able to pass.
