The Microsoft Exchange Exploit: A four-step response plan

Many businesses are being caught unprepared to identify and mitigate weaknesses used in a growing number of ransomware campaigns. The recent Microsoft Exchange Server exploit has served as a wake-up call to many organizations. Microsoft announced the detection of four zero-day exploits being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange Server. Microsoft warned that malicious actors are taking advantage of vulnerabilities to access email accounts and install malware while also urging its customers to patch all affected systems and proactively hunt for “related activity” in their environment.

Speaking to Legal IT Insider, Robert Fitzgerald, founder and managing partner of Arcas Risk Management, said: “Right now, organizations are struggling with Microsoft Exchange. The problem is that so many legacy applications lean on the SMTP relay and other functionality of Exchange, so you can’t get rid of it. We’re getting calls now from organizations asking, ‘how do we know we’re safe,’ and the reality is that they are not.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fitzgerald has seen a significant uptick in organizations turning to Arcas’ OnDemand Response program, although he adds: “What we are seeing is that so many machines were hit with this zero-day exploit that the hackers haven’t had a chance to get round to many of them yet.”

Arcas Risk Management managing partner and founder Robert Fitzgerald provides a four-step response plan to guide firms through identifying and remedying their exposure to the Microsoft Exchange exploit.