Ransomware Attack: Rescue-checklist Cyber Security Awareness Program

Mohammed Daffalla Elradi; Mohamed Hashim Mohamed; Mohammed Elradi Ali

doi:10.30564/aia.v3i1.3162

Ransomware Attack: Rescue-checklist Cyber Security Awareness Program

Mohammed Daffalla Elradi (Communication Systems Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan)
Mohamed Hashim Mohamed ()
Mohammed Elradi Ali (Communication Systems Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan)

Article ID: 3162

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/aia.v3i1.3162

Abstract

Ransomware attacks have been spreading broadly in the last few years, where attackers deny users’ access to their systems and encrypt their files until they pay a ransom, usually in Bitcoin. Of course, that is the worst thing that can happen; especially for organizations having sensitive information. In this paper we proposed a cyber security awareness program intended to provide end-users with a rescue checklist in case of being attacked with a ransomware as well as preventing the attack and ways to recover from it. The program aimed at providing cyber security knowledge to 15 employees in a Sudanese trading and investment company. According to their cyber behaviour before the program, the participants showed a low level cyber security awareness that with 72% they are likely of being attacked by a ransomware from a phishing email, which is well known for spreading ransomware attacks. The results revealed that the cyber security awareness program greatly diminished the probability of being attacked by a ransomware with an average of 28%. This study can be used as a real-life ransomware attack rescue plan.

Keywords

Cyber security;Awareness;Ransomware attack;Phishing email

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