Competition in the economy is constantly growing. A virus with encryption software, a so-called encryption malware, has almost paralyzed the smart device giant Garmin for three days. This malware encrypts all data in a system. The person responsible ultimately (usually) offers to release the data again for a certain fee. With annual sales of over three billion US dollars and over 13,000 employees, Garmin is one of the industry's largest. Products include wearables (from fitness trackers to smartwatches), navigation systems (from car sat navs to rugged outdoor devices), marine and aircraft navigation systems and many derivatives such as dog trackers etc.
Seit mittlerweile drei Tagen kämpft das Unternehmen, das selbstverständlich eine eigene große Softwaresparte besitzt, nun gegen die Encryption, ohne bisher den Sieg davon getragen zu haben. Jeden Tag veröffentlicht Garmin zwar Erfolgsmeldungen, das System funktioniert allerdings weiterhin nur sehr eingeschränkt bzw. gar nicht.
This shows that even large companies with excellent in-house software expertise are extremely vulnerable. Encryption malware is often wrongly classified as a low-cost threat. Last but not least, the incident also highlights how important a functioning and secure backup deployment is. Ultimately, with encryption the only solution is often to reinstall the system from a secure version. The Garmin incident can therefore serve as a warning to reconsider your own IT security concept. The American giant and pioneer Garmin will also eventually have a well-thought-out IT security system, which is why it is to be hoped that the attackers' exact actions will be made public afterwards.
Dorothee Frank
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