Ransomware Hot Line: 800-462-8800
24x7 Online Access to a Top-tier Ransomware Engineer
Ransomware requires time to steal its way through a network. For this reason, ransomware attacks are commonly launched on weekends and late at night, when IT personnel may take longer to recognize a penetration and are least able to mount a rapid and forceful response. The more lateral movement ransomware is able to make inside a target's system, the more time it takes to restore core IT services and scrambled files and the more data can be stolen and posted to the dark web.
Progent's Ransomware Hot Line is designed to guide organizations to carry out the time-critical first phase in responding to a ransomware assault by putting out the fire. Progent's online ransomware experts can assist organizations in the Austin area to identify and isolate infected devices and protect clean assets from being penetrated.
If your network has been penetrated by any version of ransomware, act fast. Get immediate help by calling Progent's Ransomware Hot Line at 800-462-8800.
Progent's Ransomware Response Services Offered in Austin
Modern variants of crypto-ransomware such as Ryuk, Sodinokibi, DopplePaymer, and Nephilim encrypt online data and invade any available system restores and backups. Files synched to the cloud can also be corrupted. For a poorly defended environment, this can make system recovery nearly impossible and basically sets the datacenter back to the beginning. Threat Actors (TAs), the cybercriminals behind a ransomware assault, demand a ransom fee for the decryption tools needed to unlock scrambled files. Ransomware attacks also try to exfiltrate files and TAs require an extra ransom in exchange for not posting this data on the dark web. Even if you can restore your network to an acceptable date in time, exfiltration can pose a major issue according to the nature of the downloaded information.
The recovery work after a ransomware attack has a number of distinct stages, the majority of which can be performed concurrently if the recovery workgroup has a sufficient number of people with the necessary skill sets.
- Quarantine: This time-critical first response involves blocking the sideways progress of the attack across your network. The longer a ransomware assault is allowed to run unchecked, the more complex and more expensive the recovery effort. Recognizing this, Progent keeps a 24x7 Ransomware Hotline staffed by seasoned ransomware recovery experts. Containment activities include cutting off affected endpoint devices from the network to minimize the spread, documenting the IT system, and securing entry points.
- System continuity: This involves restoring the IT system to a basic useful level of functionality with the least delay. This effort is typically at the highest level of urgency for the victims of the ransomware attack, who often perceive it to be a life-or-death issue for their company. This activity also requires the broadest range of technical skills that cover domain controllers, DHCP servers, physical and virtual machines, desktops, laptops and mobile phones, databases, office and mission-critical applications, network architecture, and safe endpoint access management. Progent's ransomware recovery experts use advanced collaboration tools to coordinate the complex restoration process. Progent appreciates the importance of working quickly, continuously, and in unison with a customer's managers and network support staff to prioritize tasks and to get vital services back online as fast as feasible.
- Data restoration: The work required to restore data impacted by a ransomware assault varies according to the condition of the network, the number of files that are affected, and which restore methods are needed. Ransomware attacks can take down key databases which, if not gracefully closed, might need to be reconstructed from the beginning. This can apply to DNS and Active Directory databases. Exchange and Microsoft SQL Server depend on AD, and many financial and other business-critical applications depend on SQL Server. Some detective work could be needed to find undamaged data. For instance, undamaged OST files (Outlook Email Offline Folder Files) may exist on staff desktop computers and laptops that were off line during the assault. Progent's ProSight Data Protection Services offer Altaro VM Backup tools to defend against ransomware by leveraging Immutable Cloud Storage. This produces tamper-proof data that cannot be erased or modified by anyone including root users.
- Implementing modern antivirus/ransomware defense: ProSight ASM utilizes SentinelOne's machine learning technology to offer small and mid-sized companies the benefits of the identical AV technology deployed by some of the world's largest corporations including Walmart, Visa, and Salesforce. By providing in-line malware filtering, detection, mitigation, recovery and forensics in one integrated platform, Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring cuts TCO, streamlines management, and promotes rapid resumption of operations. SentinelOne's next-generation endpoint protection (NGEP) incorporated in Progent's ProSight ASM was ranked by Gartner Group as the industry's "most visionary Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)." Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. Read about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) next-generation endpoint protection and ransomware defense with SentinelOne technology.
- Negotiating a settlement with the threat actor (TA): Progent is experienced in negotiating settlements with threat actors. This requires close co-operation with the ransomware victim and the cyber insurance provider, if there is one. Activities include determining the kind of ransomware involved in the assault; identifying and establishing communications the hacker; testing decryption tool; budgeting a settlement with the victim and the insurance provider; establishing a settlement amount and timeline with the hacker; confirming compliance with anti-money laundering sanctions; overseeing the crypto-currency disbursement to the TA; acquiring, reviewing, and using the decryptor tool; debugging decryption problems; building a clean environment; mapping and reconnecting drives to match precisely their pre-attack state; and restoring machines and services.
- Forensics: This activity involves discovering the ransomware attack's storyline across the network from beginning to end. This audit trail of the way a ransomware attack travelled through the network assists your IT staff to assess the damage and uncovers vulnerabilities in policies or work habits that should be corrected to prevent later breaches. Forensics involves the examination of all logs, registry, Group Policy Object (GPO), Active Directory, DNS, routers, firewalls, schedulers, and core Windows systems to look for anomalies. Forensics is usually assigned a high priority by the insurance provider. Because forensic analysis can take time, it is critical that other important activities such as business resumption are pursued concurrently. Progent has an extensive roster of information technology and security experts with the knowledge and experience needed to carry out the work of containment, operational resumption, and data restoration without interfering with forensics.
Progent's Background
Progent has delivered online and onsite IT services throughout the U.S. for over two decades and has earned Microsoft's Gold Partner designation in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's roster of subject matter experts includes consultants who have earned high-level certifications in core technologies such as Cisco networking, VMware virtualization, and major Linux distros. Progent's data security experts have earned industry-recognized certifications such as CISA, CISSP, CRISC, and CMMC 2.0. (See certifications earned by Progent consultants). Progent also has guidance in financial and Enterprise Resource Planning software. This scope of expertise gives Progent the ability to identify and integrate the undamaged pieces of your network following a ransomware attack and reconstruct them quickly into a viable network. Progent has collaborated with leading insurance carriers like Chubb to help organizations clean up after ransomware assaults.
Contact Progent for Ransomware Cleanup Services in Austin
For ransomware system restoration consulting in the Austin area, call Progent at 800-462-8800 or go to Contact Progent.