How to Prevent Ransomware from Affecting Your Network

Ransomware attacks continue to evolve, hitting organizations of every size in industries ranging from healthcare and energy to finance and insurance. While these attacks differ in their methods, they share a central goal: encrypt critical systems or steal sensitive data for extortion.

To help organizations stay ahead of these threats, the ColorTokens Threat Advisory Team has released a comprehensive Threat Intelligence Brief offering in-depth analysis of recent ransomware cases, expert commentary, and actionable best practices.

Below, we spotlight key breach examples and outline practical steps you can take to better protect your network.

Lessons for Ransomware Defense

1. Oracle Health Breach in Healthcare
   • What Happened: A threat actor accessed legacy Cerner data migration servers using compromised credentials, stealing patient information.
   • Why It Matters for Ransomware: Healthcare systems hold critically sensitive data. If criminals can breach these networks undetected, deploying ransomware could cripple hospital operations, leaving staff and patients at the mercy of extortion demands. This breach reminds us how quickly an attacker’s foothold can turn into large-scale disruption if the network lacks proper segmentation and timely monitoring.
2. IKAV Energy Data Breach
   • What Happened: IKAV, an energy company, faced unauthorized access to sensitive personal information.
   • Why It Matters for Ransomware: The energy sector often relies on operational technology (OT) systems that can be difficult to patch or segment. If attackers pivot from stolen data to deploying ransomware on OT assets, the potential for operational shutdowns is immense. This underscores the importance of keeping both IT and OT networks resilient.
3. Word & Brown Data Breach
   • What Happened: An unauthorized third party accessed an employee’s workstation, compromising health insurance data.
   • Why It Matters for Ransomware: A single compromised endpoint can act as a launchpad for a broader assault. If this infiltration had included a ransomware payload, hundreds of employees and clients could have been impacted. It shows the need for strong endpoint security and employee training to spot and report unusual activities quickly.
4. New Sophisticated Linux Backdoor Targeting OT Systems
   • What Happened: The backdoor, dubbed OrpaCrab, used covert protocols like MQTT to slip past defenses in gas station infrastructure.
   • Why It Matters for Ransomware: Malicious actors can adapt these stealthy techniques to spread ransomware through industrial networks. Advanced malware that evades detection is precisely what fuels modern ransomware’s success. If an attacker controls crucial payment systems or fuel operations, it sets a stage for potential extortion and wide-ranging havoc.
5. Oracle Cloud Breach
   • What Happened: A threat actor claimed to have stolen 6 million records from Oracle Cloud’s SSO and LDAP, possibly due to a critical vulnerability in older Oracle Fusion Middleware deployments.
   • Why It Matters for Ransomware: Breached credentials on a massive scale could be repurposed to deploy ransomware across tens of thousands of tenant networks. This case highlights how quickly attackers can pivot from credential theft to a ransom-based infiltration campaign.

These examples may differ in the specific details—some revolve around data theft, others focus on unauthorized system access—but they all illustrate how exposed any organization can be if it fails to address vulnerabilities and lacks robust security measures.

Access Full Brief | Read the latest Threat Intelligence Brief from the ColorTokens Advisory Team for expert insights and actionable defense strategies.

Key Strategies to Prevent Ransomware

1. Patch
   • Why It Matters: Many recent breaches leveraged known vulnerabilities. The ColorTokens Threat Advisory notes multiple CVEs, including Windows NTFS (CVE-2025-24993) and Google Chromium (CVE-2025-2783). If these remain unpatched, attackers can slip through and potentially install ransomware. 
   • Actionable Tip: Maintain a schedule that prioritizes critical patches. Don’t delay patching, especially for high-severity or known exploited vulnerabilities. Confirm that your remediation applies to all endpoints, including printers, servers, and any cloud workloads.
2. Embrace Microsegmentation
   • Why It Matters: Once attackers enter a network, they often move laterally, seeking higher privileges or more data. Microsegmentation confines the breach to a limited zone.
   • Actionable Tip: Start with your most sensitive data repositories—like patient records in healthcare or financial systems in banking—and isolate them from routine user traffic. Set strict firewall rules and access controls so that even if one segment is compromised, the rest of your environment remains safer.
3. Implement Zero Trust Architecture
   • Why It Matters: Assume that no user or device is inherently trustworthy. This principle is especially critical when dealing with the risk of ransomware.
   • Actionable Tip: Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all privileged accounts. Monitor user behavior, and dynamically adjust access based on risk signals (e.g., unusual login times or geographic anomalies). Implement microsegmentation to enforce zero trust policies on network traffic, to stop the lateral spread of malware and ransomware while permitting authorized traffic.

Access Report | Discover why Forrester named ColorTokens a ‘Leader’ in Microsegmentation—recognized for its exceptional strengths in OT, IoT security, and incident response.

4. Enhance Endpoint Detection & Response
   • Why It Matters: Ransomware usually begins at a compromised endpoint. Rapid detection can stop an attack before it spreads.
   • Actionable Tip: Deploy advanced EDR solutions that track anomalies like sudden file encryption or repeated login failures. Complement these tools with staff training so suspicious activity can be flagged immediately.
5. Back Up Data—Securely and Often
   • Why It Matters: Even the best defenses aren’t foolproof, and backups remain your safety net. Once ransomware strikes, having isolated backups can be the difference between a short-lived crisis and a prolonged catastrophe.
   • Actionable Tip: Store backups offsite or in cloud environments segregated from the main network. Regularly test restoring from backups to ensure they’re reliable.

Aligning Lessons from Real Incidents to Ransomware Prevention

Coordinate Incident Response: In the Oracle Health case, organizations expressed frustration at incomplete or unclear communication. During a ransomware attack, timely and transparent updates help teams respond effectively and mitigate damage. Establish a clear incident response plan—know who calls whom, what systems get taken offline, and how communication flows. Transparency is especially vital in regulated sectors like healthcare or insurance, where breach notifications and compliance can become legal liabilities.

Monitor Credential Access: The IKAV breach and the Oracle Cloud incident both highlight how easily attackers can leverage user logins. Ensure you track sign-in patterns across your environment. Sudden spikes in login attempts or an unusual wave of failed passwords could signal the early stages of a ransomware infiltration.

Strengthen Legacy Systems: Whether you’re migrating old Cerner servers to cloud infrastructure or running older Oracle Fusion Middleware, do a thorough risk assessment on any legacy software. Patch or retire outdated components that might otherwise become prime targets for initial ransomware deployment.

Foster a Security-Conscious Culture: The Word & Brown breach taught us how quickly an attacker can capitalize on one employee’s compromised workstation. That’s why consistent, engaging security training matters. People remain the first line of defense against phishing emails and social engineering, both of which are common pathways for ransomware.

Taking a Forward-Looking Approach

No organization achieves perfect immunity to ransomware. Instead, success lies in building layered defenses—regular updates, zero trust policies, microsegmentation, and solid backups. These measures, informed by real-world breaches, help reduce risk and damage. With vigilance, collaboration, and proven strategies, you can significantly push your network against the rising tide of ransomware.

If you want to know how ColorTokens can help, drop a note here. One of our experts will reach out to you. 

The post How to Prevent Ransomware from Affecting Your Network appeared first on ColorTokens.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from ColorTokens authored by Tanuj Mitra. Read the original post at: https://colortokens.com/blogs/how-to-prevent-ransomware-from-affecting-network/