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Ransomware : Your Feared IT Catastrophe
Ransomware has become a modern cyber pandemic that poses an extinction-level danger for businesses poorly prepared for an assault. Versions of ransomware like the Dharma, CryptoWall, Bad Rabbit, SamSam and MongoLock cryptoworms have been circulating for years and continue to cause destruction. Newer strains of crypto-ransomware like Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, Netwalker, Conti or Egregor, as well as more unnamed viruses, not only encrypt online critical data but also infect any accessible system restores and backups. Files synchronized to the cloud can also be corrupted. In a vulnerable data protection solution, this can render automated restoration hopeless and basically knocks the datacenter back to square one.

Getting back on-line applications and data following a ransomware intrusion becomes a race against the clock as the victim struggles to stop the spread, remove the ransomware, and resume mission-critical operations. Due to the fact that crypto-ransomware needs time to replicate, attacks are usually sprung on weekends and holidays, when successful attacks are likely to take more time to recognize. This compounds the difficulty of quickly marshalling and organizing a qualified mitigation team.

Progent has an assortment of services for protecting businesses from ransomware penetrations. Among these are user training to help identify and not fall victim to phishing scams, ProSight Active Security Monitoring for remote monitoring and management, along with installation of modern security appliances with artificial intelligence capabilities from SentinelOne to discover and suppress new threats rapidly. Progent in addition can provide the services of veteran ransomware recovery professionals with the talent and commitment to restore a compromised network as quickly as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Recovery Support Services
Following a crypto-ransomware attack, sending the ransom in cryptocurrency does not ensure that cyber criminals will respond with the keys to decrypt any of your data. Kaspersky Labs estimated that seventeen percent of ransomware victims never restored their data after having sent off the ransom, resulting in additional losses. The risk is also very costly. Ryuk ransoms are commonly several hundred thousand dollars. For larger enterprises, the ransom can reach millions. The alternative is to setup from scratch the key elements of your IT environment. Without access to full data backups, this calls for a broad range of skills, top notch project management, and the willingness to work continuously until the task is completed.

For twenty years, Progent has provided expert IT services for companies throughout the US and has earned Microsoft's Partnership certification in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's pool of subject matter experts (SMEs) includes engineers who have earned high-level industry certifications in leading technologies such as Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and popular distributions of Linux. Progent's cyber security engineers have earned internationally-renowned certifications including CISA, CISSP-ISSAP, ISACA CRISC, SANS GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (Refer to Progent's certifications). Progent also has expertise with accounting and ERP software solutions. This breadth of expertise provides Progent the ability to rapidly understand necessary systems and re-organize the surviving parts of your computer network system after a crypto-ransomware attack and assemble them into a functioning system.

Progent's recovery team of experts uses state-of-the-art project management applications to coordinate the complicated restoration process. Progent knows the urgency of acting rapidly and in concert with a client's management and Information Technology staff to assign priority to tasks and to put key applications back on line as fast as humanly possible.

Customer Case Study: A Successful Crypto-Ransomware Virus Response
A customer contacted Progent after their network system was crashed by Ryuk ransomware. Ryuk is generally considered to have been created by Northern Korean state hackers, suspected of adopting strategies leaked from the United States National Security Agency. Ryuk goes after specific organizations with little ability to sustain disruption and is among the most profitable iterations of ransomware malware. High publicized organizations include Data Resolution, a California-based data warehousing and cloud computing business, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's client is a regional manufacturing business based in Chicago with around 500 staff members. The Ryuk penetration had paralyzed all business operations and manufacturing capabilities. The majority of the client's backups had been directly accessible at the start of the intrusion and were destroyed. The client considered paying the ransom (more than $200K) and hoping for the best, but in the end engaged Progent.

Progent worked together with the customer to quickly identify and prioritize the most important applications that needed to be recovered to make it possible to resume departmental functions:

• Windows Active Directory
• Electronic Messaging
• Financials/MRP

Within two days, Progent was able to restore Active Directory services to its pre-intrusion state. Progent then assisted with rebuilding and storage recovery of the most important applications. All Exchange Server schema and configuration information were intact, which facilitated the restore of Exchange. Progent was also able to collect non-encrypted OST files (Outlook Off-Line Data Files) on staff workstations and laptops to recover mail messages. A not too old off-line backup of the businesses financials/ERP software made it possible to recover these essential programs back online for users. Although a large amount of work was left to recover totally from the Ryuk event, core systems were restored rapidly:

During the next couple of weeks key milestones in the restoration project were accomplished in close collaboration between Progent consultants and the customer:

• Internal web sites were brought back up with no loss of data.
• The MailStore Server containing more than four million archived emails was brought online and accessible to users.
• CRM/Product Ordering/Invoices/Accounts Payable/AR/Inventory Control capabilities were fully operational.
• A new Palo Alto 850 security appliance was brought on-line.
• Nearly all of the desktop computers were functioning as before the incident.

Conclusion
A likely business-killing catastrophe was evaded by dedicated professionals, a broad spectrum of IT skills, and tight teamwork. Although upon completion of forensics the crypto-ransomware penetration described here could have been disabled with up-to-date security solutions and security best practices, staff training, and appropriate incident response procedures for information protection and keeping systems up to date with security patches, the reality is that government-sponsored cyber criminals from Russia, North Korea and elsewhere are tireless and are not going away. If you do get hit by a ransomware virus, feel confident that Progent's roster of experts has substantial experience in ransomware virus blocking, removal, and file restoration.

To review or download a PDF version of this ransomware incident report, click:
Progent's Ryuk Incident Recovery Case Study Datasheet. (PDF - 282 KB)

Additional Ransomware Protection Services Available from Progent
Progent can provide companies in Barueri-Alphaville a portfolio of online monitoring and security evaluation services to assist you to reduce your vulnerability to crypto-ransomware. These services include next-generation machine learning technology to uncover new variants of ransomware that are able to escape detection by traditional signature-based anti-virus products.

• ProSight LAN Watch: Server and Desktop Remote Monitoring and Management
  ProSight LAN Watch is Progent's server and desktop monitoring service that uses advanced remote monitoring and management (RMM) technology to keep your network operating at peak levels by tracking the state of vital assets that drive your business network. When ProSight LAN Watch uncovers a problem, an alarm is transmitted automatically to your specified IT management personnel and your assigned Progent engineering consultant so any looming problems can be addressed before they have a chance to disrupt your network. Learn more about ProSight LAN Watch server and desktop remote monitoring services.

• ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM: Centralized RMM for Networks, Servers, and Workstations
  ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM software offers a centralized, cloud-driven solution for managing your network, server, and desktop devices by offering tools for performing common tedious jobs. These include health checking, patch management, automated remediation, endpoint setup, backup and restore, A/V response, remote access, built-in and custom scripts, asset inventory, endpoint status reporting, and debugging help. When ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM identifies a serious issue, it transmits an alert to your designated IT management personnel and your Progent technical consultant so emerging problems can be taken care of before they interfere with your network. Find out more details about ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM server and desktop remote monitoring consulting.

• ProSight WAN Watch: Network Infrastructure Remote Monitoring and Management
  ProSight WAN Watch is an infrastructure management service that makes it easy and affordable for smaller businesses to map, monitor, optimize and debug their connectivity hardware such as switches, firewalls, and wireless controllers plus servers, client computers and other devices. Incorporating state-of-the-art Remote Monitoring and Management technology, WAN Watch ensures that network maps are kept current, copies and manages the configuration of virtually all devices on your network, tracks performance, and generates notices when issues are discovered. By automating complex network management processes, ProSight WAN Watch can cut hours off common tasks such as making network diagrams, expanding your network, locating devices that need critical software patches, or identifying the cause of performance issues. Learn more details about ProSight WAN Watch network infrastructure monitoring and management services.

• ProSight Reporting: Real-time and In-depth Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Platforms
  ProSight Reporting is a growing line of real-time reporting plug-ins created to work with the top ticketing and network monitoring applications including ConnectWise Manage, ConnectWise Automate, Customer Thermometer, Auvik, and SentinelOne. ProSight Reporting uses Microsoft Graph and features color coding to highlight and contextualize key issues such as spotty support follow-through or machines with out-of-date AVs. By exposing ticketing or network health concerns concisely and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting improves productivity, lowers management overhead, and saves money. For more information, see ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring platforms.

• ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS): Managed Backup and Recovery Services
  Progent has worked with advanced backup technology providers to produce ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a family of management offerings that provide backup-as-a-service (BaaS). ProSight DPS services automate and track your data backup processes and allow transparent backup and fast restoration of vital files, apps, system images, and virtual machines. ProSight DPS lets your business avoid data loss resulting from equipment failures, natural calamities, fire, malware like ransomware, user mistakes, ill-intentioned employees, or software glitches. Managed services in the ProSight DPS portfolio include ProSight DPS Altaro VM Backup, ProSight 365 Total Backup (formerly Altaro 365 Backup), ProSight ECHO Backup using Barracuda dedicated hardware, and ProSight MSP360 Cloud and On-prem Backup. Your Progent expert can help you to identify which of these fully managed backup services are best suited for your IT environment.

• ProSight Email Guard: Inbound and Outbound Spam Filtering and Data Leakage Protection
  ProSight Email Guard is Progent's spam filtering and email encryption service that uses the technology of top information security vendors to provide web-based management and world-class security for all your inbound and outbound email. The hybrid architecture of Progent's Email Guard combines a Cloud Protection Layer with an on-premises security gateway device to provide advanced protection against spam, viruses, Denial of Service Attacks, Directory Harvest Attacks, and other email-borne threats. The cloud filter serves as a preliminary barricade and keeps most unwanted email from reaching your security perimeter. This decreases your exposure to inbound threats and saves network bandwidth and storage space. Email Guard's on-premises security gateway device provides a further layer of inspection for inbound email. For outbound email, the onsite gateway offers AV and anti-spam protection, DLP, and email encryption. The on-premises security gateway can also help Microsoft Exchange Server to track and safeguard internal email that stays within your corporate firewall. For more information, see Email Guard spam filtering and data leakage protection.

• ProSight Duo Two-Factor Authentication: Identity Validation, Endpoint Remediation, and Secure Single Sign-on (SSO)
  Progent's Duo authentication service plans incorporate Cisco's Duo technology to defend against password theft through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo supports one-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using Duo 2FA, whenever you sign into a secured online account and give your password you are requested to confirm your identity on a unit that only you have and that uses a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A broad selection of devices can be used as this added form of authentication such as an iPhone or Android or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You can designate several verification devices. To find out more about ProSight Duo two-factor identity authentication services, go to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for access security.

• Progent's Outsourced/Shared Help Desk: Call Center Managed Services
  Progent's Support Desk managed services allow your information technology staff to outsource Help Desk services to Progent or split responsibilities for Service Desk support transparently between your internal support resources and Progent's nationwide pool of certified IT support engineers and subject matter experts (SMEs). Progent's Shared Help Desk Service provides a seamless extension of your corporate IT support resources. End user interaction with the Service Desk, provision of technical assistance, problem escalation, trouble ticket creation and tracking, performance metrics, and maintenance of the support database are consistent regardless of whether incidents are resolved by your in-house IT support organization, by Progent's team, or by a combination. Learn more about Progent's outsourced/co-managed Call Center services.

• Progent Active Protection Against Ransomware: AI-based Ransomware Detection and Cleanup
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection (EPP) solution that utilizes next generation behavior-based machine learning technology to guard endpoints and servers and VMs against new malware assaults such as ransomware and email phishing, which routinely evade traditional signature-based AV products. Progent ASM services safeguard local and cloud resources and offers a unified platform to manage the entire malware attack progression including blocking, detection, containment, cleanup, and forensics. Key capabilities include one-click rollback with Windows VSS and real-time system-wide immunization against new attacks. Find out more about Progent's ransomware protection and recovery services.

• ProSight IT Asset Management: Network Documentation Management
  ProSight IT Asset Management service is an IT infrastructure documentation management service that makes it easy to create, maintain, retrieve and protect data about your network infrastructure, processes, business apps, and services. You can quickly locate passwords or serial numbers and be alerted about upcoming expirations of SSL certificates ,domains or warranties. By cleaning up and organizing your IT infrastructure documentation, you can eliminate as much as half of time wasted looking for critical information about your IT network. ProSight IT Asset Management features a centralized repository for storing and collaborating on all documents required for managing your network infrastructure such as standard operating procedures and How-To's. ProSight IT Asset Management also offers advanced automation for gathering and relating IT data. Whether you're planning enhancements, performing regular maintenance, or reacting to an emergency, ProSight IT Asset Management delivers the knowledge you need as soon as you need it. Read more about ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Progent's Patch Management: Patch Management Services
  Progent's managed services for patch management offer organizations of any size a versatile and affordable alternative for assessing, testing, scheduling, applying, and documenting updates to your ever-evolving information system. In addition to optimizing the security and reliability of your computer network, Progent's software/firmware update management services free up time for your IT team to focus on more strategic initiatives and tasks that deliver the highest business value from your network. Read more about Progent's patch management services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted VMs at Progent's World-class Data Center
  With ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small or mid-size business can have its critical servers and applications hosted in a secure Tier III data center on a fast virtual host configured and maintained by Progent's IT support professionals. Under Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting model, the client retains ownership of the data, the operating system platforms, and the applications. Because the system is virtualized, it can be ported easily to a different hosting solution without a time-consuming and difficult reinstallation process. With ProSight Virtual Hosting, you are not tied a single hosting provider. Learn more about ProSight Virtual Hosting services.

• ProSight Active Security Monitoring: Endpoint Protection and Ransomware Defense
  ProSight Active Security Monitoring is an endpoint protection (EPP) service that utilizes SentinelOne's next generation behavior analysis tools to defend physical and virtual endpoints against new malware attacks like ransomware and file-less exploits, which easily evade legacy signature-matching AV products. ProSight Active Security Monitoring protects local and cloud resources and provides a unified platform to address the entire threat lifecycle including blocking, infiltration detection, containment, remediation, and forensics. Top features include single-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service and automatic system-wide immunization against newly discovered threats. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. Find out more about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring next-generation endpoint protection and ransomware defense.

• ProSight Enhanced Security Protection: Endpoint Protection and Microsoft Exchange Email Filtering
  ProSight Enhanced Security Protection services offer ultra-affordable multi-layer protection for physical servers and virtual machines, desktops, mobile devices, and Exchange email. ProSight ESP utilizes contextual security and advanced machine learning for round-the-clock monitoring and reacting to security threats from all attack vectors. ProSight ESP delivers two-way firewall protection, intrusion alerts, endpoint control, and web filtering via cutting-edge technologies incorporated within one agent managed from a single console. Progent's security and virtualization experts can help you to design and implement a ProSight ESP deployment that addresses your company's specific requirements and that helps you achieve and demonstrate compliance with government and industry data security regulations. Progent will help you specify and configure policies that ProSight ESP will enforce, and Progent will monitor your network and respond to alerts that call for urgent action. Progent's consultants can also assist your company to install and verify a backup and disaster recovery solution such as ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS) so you can recover rapidly from a potentially disastrous security attack like ransomware. Read more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP) unified physical and virtual endpoint protection and Exchange email filtering.