Doxware is a recently evolved form of malware. It holds computers hostage and extorts victims by threatening to release sensitive information if a ransom is not paid. Like traditional ransomware, it must first find a way to infect a network or computer using phishing emails. These lures contain evil-intended attachments or links to malicious websites that have code imbedded in them that is capable of exploiting unpatched security vulnerabilities.
Using Doxware, cybercriminals hold computers hostage until the victim pays the ransom. They advance the attack further and threaten to compromise the privacy of conversations, photos, and sensitive files, by taking them publicly unless the ransom is paid. An example of this occurred in August of 2020 when a message was sent anonymously to Bloomberg by criminals claiming to have hacked Louisville-based corporation Brown-Forman and compromised its internal network. The alleged hackers said they copied one terabyte of confidential data and promised to share it online. Due to these threatened release types, it’s harder for businesses to avoid paying the ransom, making the attack more profitable for hackers.
Once activated, Doxware behaves similarly to other ransomware types, encrypting files and presenting its demands to the victim. The difference is in addition to file encryption, Doxware also steals sensitive files and sends copies back to whoever controls the malware. They allow cybercriminals to make a twofold threat – pay the ransom if you want your files back, and if you don’t, we’ll publish your private information online.
The best way to prevent compromise from Doxware is by keeping your business from being infected in the first place. Doxware requires strategic, end-to-end planning, which means hackers will target their victims more deliberately, and Doxware is only a threat if hackers can obtain confidential information. To combat this, Centrality’s DatAnchor uses an encryption solution that protects your sensitive data. DAtAnchor allows universal, transparent encryption – meaning you have control of who, when, and where your data is accessed using any access criteria you can imagine. It ensures that sensitive information is unable to leave the business without consent, regardless of where it is consumed or stolen. DAtAnchor encrypts and restricts access based on dynamic boundaries set by company management.
DAtAnchor’s comprehensive solution requires no training for employees thanks to its simple, low-maintenance design. Encryption can save your organization from a costly attack – whether internal or external – during an especially vulnerable time for organizations shifting to a remote workforce. With DAtAnchor, you have access and control of your data, integrated within your current platform in a matter of hours.
