With technology, things are always changing. So as a global leader in cyber protection and hybrid cloud solutions, Acronis has to continuously invest in research and development (R&D) to ensure we’re providing customers with the best protection for their data, apps and systems using cutting-edge technologies. That innovative philosophy pays tremendous dividends in the effectiveness of our solutions.

Developing those technologies also requires us to find the best and brightest software engineers, scientists and security experts wherever they may be. That is why we have a network of R&D centers located around the world, operating in Asia, Europe and America. Such a global presence not only allows us to develop cyber protection, artificial intelligence, and blockchain-based technologies around the clock, it puts us closer to the best talent around the world.

Now that R&D network is even larger since we just opened our new European office and R&D center in Sofia, Bulgaria. The strategic location will not only help us better serve our European-based customers, but the central location enables us to more easily draw on the well-educated and dedicated technical talent pool the continent offers.

The bustling Port of San Diego is recovering from a ransomware attack that hit on Tuesday, September 25, striking the administrative computer systems. The FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security are currently on-site investigating the ransomware further. And while the Port remains open to the public and shipping traffic is unaffected, certain systems are being shut down as a precaution while Port officials develop and implement their recovery plan.

The incident marks the second cyberattack on an international port this week, as the Port of Barcelona was forced to fall back on contingency plans in response to an attack on their servers. Yet these are just two of the latest examples in a troubling epidemic of cybercrimes that target transportation, municipal, and governmental infrastructure.

This past weekend, a ransomware attack hit the U.K.'s Bristol Airport, increasing the stress and inconvenience of travelers trying to reach their destinations, forcing front-line staff to resort to manual, pen-and-paper systems while the airport’s IT team labored to contain the attack.

An undisclosed ransomware strain hit Friday morning and took systems down through Saturday and into Sunday. While the cyberattack on Bristol targeted its administrative systems, the airport opted to take several vulnerable systems offline as a precautionary measure – including public-facing flight arrival and departure information monitors. As a result, airline staff had to update passengers via whiteboards and frequent public address announcements.

The attack illustrates how the transportation industry and municipalities need to increasingly consider the risks of cyberattacks as connected vehicles, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and other technologies become integral to our transportation infrastructure.

When Acronis True Image 2017 New Generation was introduced in January 2017, it marked a new level in data protection as the first backup product to deliver effective behavior-based protection from ransomware. Later that same year, with the release of Acronis True Image 2018, we enhanced our Acronis Active Protection set of technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver an additional layer of security to an already effective and award-winning anti-ransomware defense. 

With the newly released Acronis True Image 2019, we’re bringing even more enhancements to our data security and anti-ransomware technologies, making the product even more secure and user-friendly.