Ransomware has evolved from a nuisance into one of the most sophisticated and disruptive threats facing organizations today, with cybercrime potentially costing the world $23 trillion by 2027. Understanding how to protect against ransomware is no longer just an IT concern; it requires a collective commitment to fundamental cyber hygiene practices that reduce both the likelihood and the overall impact of an attack.

This article draws on joint cybersecurity advisories and industry insights to detail the threats posed by professionalized criminal operations, such as Play ransomware, and outlines the critical, high-impact defense strategies every organization must implement.

Threat Spotlight: The Aggressive Tactics of Play Ransomware

The modern ransomware landscape is dominated by professional criminal groups operating under the Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, which lowers the barrier to entry for affiliates and increases the volume of attacks.

The Play (also known as Playcrypt) ransomware group was among the most active ransomware groups in 2024 and has impacted a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure across North America, South America, and Europe since June 2022. As of May 2025, the FBI was aware of approximately 900 entities allegedly exploited by this group.

Play ransomware actors rely on a double extortion model, first exfiltrating sensitive data and then encrypting systems. If a victim refuses to pay the ransom, the threat actors threaten to publish the stolen data to their leak site on the Tor network. They actively pressure victims, sometimes contacting them via phone calls to encourage payment and threaten the release of company information.

Play actors use several advanced tactics, including:

  • Initial Access: Gaining initial access often involves the abuse of valid accounts (likely purchased on the dark web) or exploiting vulnerabilities in public-facing applications. Threat actors have exploited vulnerabilities in FortiOS, Microsoft Exchange (ProxyNotShell), and SimpleHelp RMM tools.
  • Lateral Movement and Credential Access: Once inside, they use commercial and publicly available tools like PsExec and Cobalt Strike for movement. They specifically hunt for unsecured credentials using tools like Mimikatz to gain domain administrator access.
  • Defense Evasion: Play uses tools like GMER, IOBit, and PowerTool to disable anti-virus software. The ransomware binary itself is recompiled for every attack, resulting in unique hashes that complicate detection by traditional anti-malware programs.

The Core Defense: Cybersecurity Hygiene Essentials

Since the human element is the common root cause of 68% of data breaches, and over 94% of detected malware is delivered via email, implementing robust cyber hygiene is essential. Organizations are urged to adopt CISA’s “Four Essentials” or “Core 4” practices to build a Cyber Strong America.

1. Require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA is described as a vital layer of defense and one of the most effective ways to block attackers. Crucially, more than 99.9% of accounts that are compromised do not have MFA enabled.

  • Implement Phishing-Resistant MFA: Organizations must prioritize implementing FIDO or PKI-based MFA for all services, particularly webmail, VPNs, and accounts accessing critical systems. These methods are resilient against sophisticated phishing threats like Adversary-in-the-Middle (AiTM) attacks, unlike weaker forms such as SMS/voice MFA or push notifications without number matching.
  • Prioritize Privileged Users: Phishing-resistant MFA should be prioritized especially for administrator and privileged user accounts that have broad access to critical or customer data.
  • Implement SSO: Centralized logins through a Single Sign-On (SSO) program can reduce the chance of users being socially engineered to give up credentials, particularly when paired with phishing-resistant MFA.

2. Prioritize Patching and Updates

Attackers frequently exploit known vulnerabilities in unpatched software to gain initial access. Promptly installing security updates and patches is one of the most efficient and cost-effective steps organizations can take to minimize exposure.

  • Focus on Exploited Vulnerabilities: Organizations must prioritize patching known exploited vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems. This includes deploying the latest Microsoft Exchange security updates, and, if patching is impossible, disabling Outlook Web Access (OWA) until updates can be done.
  • Maintain Up-to-Date Software: Keep all operating systems, software, and firmware updated to their latest versions, enabling automatic updates where possible.

3. Implement Robust Backup and Recovery Plans

Backups are the lifeline after an attack, ensuring recovery is possible without paying the ransom.

  • Follow the 3-2-1 Rule: Maintain at least three copies of data, on two different media types, with one copy stored in a physically separate, segmented, or offline/cloud location.
  • Ensure Data Integrity: Backup data must be encrypted and immutable (cannot be altered or deleted).
  • Test Regularly: Recovery plans must be defined, and test restores should be conducted monthly to verify integrity and achieve defined Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO).

4. Apply Least Privilege and Network Segmentation

Limiting access reduces the damage an attacker can inflict once inside the network.

  • Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Grant access only to the necessary resources required for a role, restricting administrative privileges and requiring separate admin accounts.
  • Network Segmentation: Segmenting networks is crucial to preventing ransomware from spreading laterally across the environment, thereby containing the damage.
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Invest in EDR tools that provide real-time monitoring and threat intelligence to detect and isolate ransomware before it spreads.

Conclusion

Ransomware actors are operating as professional criminal groups, utilizing sophisticated techniques like double extortion and exploiting simple security failures, such as weak authentication and unpatched systems.

Protecting critical digital assets requires organizations to move beyond mere awareness and adopt the high-impact actions outlined by cybersecurity leaders. By deploying phishing-resistant MFA, maintaining rigorous patch management, building immutable backups, and adhering to the principle of least privilege, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to ransomware.

If your organization experiences a ransomware or phishing incident, promptly report it to the FBI or CISA’s 24/7 Operations Center at (888) 282-0870 or report@cisa.gov. Australian organizations can contact ASD’s ACSC via 1300 CYBER1.