By Christine Kern, contributing writer

Endpoint security should be the first layer in the complex defense against attacks.

The latest high-profile ransomware attacks have prompted renewed attention to cybersecurity at the organization and enterprise levels, a trend accurately predicted in the The Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) paper 2016 Will Be the Year Ransomware Holds America Hostage.

Both the general population and critical infrastructure community have experienced an alarming number of ransomware incidents that have negatively impacted computer users everywhere. Now, ICIT has published its most recent report on this ransomware epidemic, Combatting the Ransomware Blitzkrieg: The Only Defense is a Layered Defense, Layer One: Endpoint Security.

This report introduces the technical ins and outs of the more prevalent ransomware variants, as well as other endpoints vulnerable to ransomware attack such as SCADA/ICS, IoT, Cars, Cloud, Servers, Specialized hardware, Personal Computers, and the most easily exploitable vulnerability, the Human.

Ransomware, the weaponization of encryption, has struck fear and confusion into the hearts of PC users and critical infrastructure communities alike. While it is impossible for organizations to prevent malware from infecting their networks, those who deploy a multi-layered security strategy and teach proper cybersecurity hygiene to their employees have a strong chance of defending against these types of attacks.

The report highlights Cyber Hygiene and Security Centric strategies that minimize any organization's exploitable attack surface in order to thwart not only ransomware but virtually any malware or attack by Script Kiddies, State Sponsored APT’s, Cyber Jihadists and Sophisticated Mercenary Hackers.

The report concludes, “Combatting the ransomware Blitzkrieg requires the techno-synthesis that only occurs between the layers of a properly customized cybersecurity strategy. The cyber-physical convergence with the internet of things demands a cyber hygienic and security centric counterbalance to the hyper evolving threat landscape.”

The only effective defense against the never ending threat of cyber attacks is a layered defense, of which endpoint security is an essential layer that offers a potent ingredient for nextgen cyber fortification.