Chattanooga 24-7 Immediate Crypto-Ransomware
Virus Detection and Restoration Support

Ransomware : Your Worst IT Catastrophe
Ransomware has become a too-frequent cyber pandemic that poses an existential threat for organizations vulnerable to an assault. Multiple generations of crypto-ransomware such as Dharma, Fusob, Locky, NotPetya and MongoLock cryptoworms have been replicating for many years and still cause destruction. Recent versions of ransomware like Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, DopplePaymer, LockBit or Nephilim, as well as daily as yet unnamed viruses, not only encrypt on-line data files but also infiltrate any accessible system protection. Information synched to cloud environments can also be corrupted. In a poorly designed system, this can render automated restoration impossible and basically knocks the entire system back to zero.

Getting back on-line applications and information after a crypto-ransomware intrusion becomes a sprint against the clock as the targeted organization struggles to contain, cleanup the crypto-ransomware, and resume mission-critical operations. Since ransomware takes time to replicate, penetrations are usually sprung during nights and weekends, when penetrations typically take longer to notice. This multiplies the difficulty of rapidly mobilizing and coordinating an experienced response team.

Progent offers an assortment of support services for protecting organizations from ransomware penetrations. These include team member training to help recognize and avoid phishing scams, ProSight Active Security Monitoring for remote monitoring and management, in addition to setup and configuration of next-generation security appliances with artificial intelligence capabilities from SentinelOne to identify and suppress new cyber attacks quickly. Progent also offers the assistance of expert ransomware recovery consultants with the talent and perseverance to restore a breached environment as soon as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Restoration Services
Soon after a crypto-ransomware attack, paying the ransom demands in cryptocurrency does not provide any assurance that criminal gangs will return the codes to unencrypt any or all of your data. Kaspersky Labs determined that 17% of ransomware victims never recovered their data after having paid the ransom, resulting in increased losses. The gamble is also very costly. Ryuk ransoms are commonly a few hundred thousand dollars. For larger enterprises, the ransom can be in the millions. The other path is to setup from scratch the critical components of your Information Technology environment. Without the availability of complete system backups, this calls for a wide complement of IT skills, professional project management, and the ability to work 24x7 until the task is completed.

For twenty years, Progent has provided professional Information Technology services for companies throughout the U.S. and has achieved Microsoft's Partnership certification in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's group of subject matter experts (SMEs) includes engineers who have earned high-level industry certifications in important technologies like Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and major distributions of Linux. Progent's cyber security consultants have earned internationally-renowned industry certifications including CISA, CISSP-ISSAP, ISACA CRISC, SANS GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (Visit Progent's certifications). Progent also has experience with financial management and ERP application software. This breadth of experience provides Progent the skills to rapidly identify necessary systems and integrate the surviving pieces of your Information Technology environment after a ransomware penetration and configure them into an operational network.

Progent's security team deploys powerful project management applications to coordinate the complex restoration process. Progent knows the importance of working quickly and together with a customer's management and IT resources to prioritize tasks and to put essential applications back online as fast as humanly possible.

Case Study: A Successful Ransomware Intrusion Restoration
A customer sought out Progent after their organization was taken over by Ryuk ransomware virus. Ryuk is thought to have been launched by North Korean government sponsored cybercriminals, suspected of using strategies exposed from the United States National Security Agency. Ryuk goes after specific organizations with little or no ability to sustain operational disruption and is one of the most profitable incarnations of ransomware. Headline organizations include Data Resolution, a California-based information warehousing and cloud computing company, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's customer is a small manufacturer headquartered in the Chicago metro area and has about 500 staff members. The Ryuk intrusion had brought down all company operations and manufacturing capabilities. The majority of the client's backups had been online at the time of the attack and were damaged. The client was evaluating paying the ransom demand (more than two hundred thousand dollars) and wishfully thinking for good luck, but ultimately brought in Progent.

Progent worked together with the client to quickly assess and prioritize the key systems that had to be addressed in order to continue company operations:

• Windows Active Directory
• Electronic Messaging
• Accounting and Manufacturing Software

In less than 2 days, Progent was able to recover Active Directory to its pre-intrusion state. Progent then assisted with reinstallations and storage recovery on critical servers. All Exchange schema and attributes were intact, which greatly helped the rebuild of Exchange. Progent was also able to collect local OST data files (Outlook Off-Line Folder Files) on team workstations and laptops in order to recover mail information. A recent off-line backup of the businesses accounting systems made it possible to recover these essential programs back online. Although major work was left to recover totally from the Ryuk attack, the most important services were returned to operations quickly:

Over the next month important milestones in the restoration project were made through tight collaboration between Progent team members and the client:

• In-house web applications were returned to operation with no loss of data.
• The MailStore Server containing more than four million historical emails was brought on-line and accessible to users.
• CRM/Orders/Invoices/Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivables (AR)/Inventory modules were 100% functional.
• A new Palo Alto Networks 850 security appliance was brought on-line.
• 90% of the desktops and laptops were back into operation.

Conclusion
A likely enterprise-killing catastrophe was evaded due to hard-working professionals, a wide spectrum of IT skills, and tight collaboration. Although in analyzing the event afterwards the ransomware virus penetration described here would have been shut down with current security solutions and ISO/IEC 27001 best practices, staff training, and appropriate security procedures for data backup and keeping systems up to date with security patches, the fact is that state-sponsored hackers from Russia, China and elsewhere are relentless and represent an ongoing threat. If you do get hit by a crypto-ransomware penetration, feel confident that Progent's team of professionals has proven experience in crypto-ransomware virus blocking, remediation, and file restoration.

To review or download a PDF version of this customer case study, click:
Progent's Ransomware Virus Recovery Case Study Datasheet. (PDF - 282 KB)

Additional Ransomware Protection Services Available from Progent
Progent can provide companies in Chattanooga a variety of remote monitoring and security assessment services designed to assist you to minimize your vulnerability to ransomware. These services include modern AI capability to uncover zero-day strains of ransomware that are able to escape detection by legacy signature-based security products.

• ProSight LAN Watch: Server and Desktop Remote Monitoring
  ProSight LAN Watch is Progent's server and desktop monitoring service that incorporates state-of-the-art remote monitoring and management technology to keep your IT system operating at peak levels by checking the state of vital computers that power your business network. When ProSight LAN Watch detects an issue, an alarm is sent immediately to your designated IT staff and your assigned Progent engineering consultant so that any looming issues can be resolved before they can impact your network. Learn more about ProSight LAN Watch server and desktop monitoring consulting.

• ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM: Centralized RMM Solution for Networks, Servers, and Workstations
  ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM software offers a unified, cloud-driven platform for managing your network, server, and desktop devices by providing an environment for performing common time-consuming tasks. These include health monitoring, update management, automated repairs, endpoint setup, backup and restore, anti-virus protection, secure remote access, standard and custom scripts, resource inventory, endpoint profile reporting, and debugging assistance. When ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM uncovers a serious issue, it transmits an alert to your designated IT staff and your Progent consultant so emerging problems can be fixed before they interfere with productivity. Find out more about ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM server and desktop remote monitoring services.

• ProSight WAN Watch: Network Infrastructure Management
  Progent's ProSight WAN Watch is a network infrastructure management service that makes it easy and inexpensive for small and mid-sized organizations to map, track, reconfigure and troubleshoot their networking appliances such as routers, firewalls, and load balancers as well as servers, printers, client computers and other networked devices. Incorporating cutting-edge Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) technology, ProSight WAN Watch makes sure that infrastructure topology diagrams are always current, captures and manages the configuration information of virtually all devices connected to your network, tracks performance, and generates notices when issues are detected. By automating time-consuming management and troubleshooting processes, ProSight WAN Watch can knock hours off common tasks like making network diagrams, expanding your network, locating devices that need critical software patches, or identifying the cause of performance problems. Find out more details about ProSight WAN Watch network infrastructure monitoring and management consulting.

• ProSight Reporting: Real-time Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Platforms
  ProSight Reporting is a growing line of in-depth reporting utilities created to integrate with the leading ticketing and network monitoring programs such as ConnectWise Manage, ConnectWise Automate, Customer Thermometer, Auvik, and SentinelOne. ProSight Reporting uses Microsoft Graph and features color coding to highlight and contextualize critical issues such as inconsistent support follow-through or endpoints with out-of-date AVs. By identifying ticketing or network health concerns concisely and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting improves productivity, reduces management overhead, and saves money. For details, visit ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring applications.

• ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS): Backup and Recovery Services
  Progent has worked with leading backup/restore technology companies to create ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a selection of offerings that deliver backup-as-a-service. ProSight DPS services automate and track your backup processes and allow non-disruptive backup and rapid recovery of important files, applications, system images, plus virtual machines. ProSight DPS lets you avoid data loss caused by hardware breakdown, natural disasters, fire, malware like ransomware, human mistakes, ill-intentioned insiders, or application glitches. Managed services available in the ProSight DPS portfolio include ProSight Altaro VM Backup, ProSight 365 Total Backup (formerly Altaro 365 Backup), ProSight DPS ECHO Backup based on Barracuda dedicated hardware, and ProSight MSP360 Hybrid Backup. Your Progent expert can help you to identify which of these managed backup services are most appropriate 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 incorporates the technology of leading data security vendors to deliver web-based control and comprehensive security for your email traffic. The hybrid architecture of Progent's Email Guard combines a Cloud Protection Layer with an on-premises gateway appliance to provide advanced protection against spam, viruses, Denial of Service Attacks, Directory Harvest Attacks, and other email-based malware. The Cloud Protection Layer acts as a first line of defense and keeps most threats from reaching your network firewall. This reduces your vulnerability to inbound attacks and saves network bandwidth and storage space. Email Guard's on-premises security gateway appliance provides a deeper level of inspection for inbound email. For outgoing email, the onsite gateway provides anti-virus and anti-spam filtering, DLP, and email encryption. The on-premises gateway can also assist Exchange Server to track and protect internal email traffic that stays inside your corporate firewall. For more details, see Email Guard spam and content filtering.

• ProSight Duo Multi-Factor Authentication: ID Confirmation, Endpoint Policy Enforcement, and Secure Single Sign-on (SSO)
  Progent's Duo MFA services utilize Cisco's Duo cloud technology to protect against stolen passwords through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables single-tap identity confirmation on iOS, Android, and other out-of-band devices. Using Duo 2FA, when you sign into a secured application and enter your password you are asked to verify who you are on a device that only you have and that uses a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A wide range of devices can be used for this added form of authentication such as an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You may designate several verification devices. For details about ProSight Duo identity validation services, go to Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for access security.

• Outsourced/Co-managed Call Desk: Help Desk Managed Services
  Progent's Support Center services allow your IT group to outsource Call Center services to Progent or split activity for Service Desk support seamlessly between your in-house support resources and Progent's extensive roster of certified IT support engineers and subject matter experts. Progent's Shared Service Desk offers a seamless extension of your corporate support resources. User access to the Help Desk, provision of technical assistance, problem escalation, ticket generation and updates, efficiency measurement, and maintenance of the support database are cohesive whether issues are taken care of by your corporate support staff, by Progent's team, or a mix of the two. Read more about Progent's outsourced/shared Help Center services.

• Active Protection Against Ransomware: AI-based Ransomware Identification and Remediation
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection (EPP) managed service that incorporates next generation behavior analysis technology to guard endpoints as well as physical and virtual servers against new malware attacks like ransomware and file-less exploits, which routinely escape traditional signature-matching AV tools. Progent Active Security Monitoring services protect local and cloud resources and offers a unified platform to address the complete malware attack lifecycle including protection, detection, mitigation, remediation, and post-attack forensics. Top features include single-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service and real-time system-wide immunization against new threats. Learn more about Progent's ransomware defense and recovery services.

• ProSight IT Asset Management: Network Documentation Management
  ProSight IT Asset Management service is a cloud-based IT documentation management service that allows you to capture, maintain, find and safeguard data about your IT infrastructure, processes, business apps, and services. You can instantly locate passwords or IP addresses and be alerted about impending expirations of SSL certificates or domains. By updating and managing your network documentation, you can save as much as 50% of time wasted searching for critical information about your IT network. ProSight IT Asset Management includes a common repository for storing and collaborating on all documents required for managing your network infrastructure such as standard operating procedures (SOPs) and self-service instructions. ProSight IT Asset Management also offers a high level of automation for collecting and relating IT information. Whether you're planning enhancements, doing maintenance, or reacting to an emergency, ProSight IT Asset Management gets you the information you need the instant you need it. Find out more about ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Progent's Patch Management: Patch Management Services
  Progent's support services for software and firmware patch management offer businesses of any size a versatile and affordable alternative for assessing, validating, scheduling, applying, and tracking software and firmware updates to your ever-evolving IT system. In addition to maximizing the protection and functionality of your computer network, Progent's software/firmware update management services allow your IT team to concentrate on line-of-business initiatives and tasks that deliver maximum business value from your information network. Read more about Progent's patch management services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted VMs at Progent's Tier III Data Center
  With Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small business can have its critical servers and applications hosted in a secure Tier III data center on a fast virtual host set up and maintained by Progent's IT support professionals. Under Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting model, the customer owns the data, the OS platforms, and the applications. Since the environment is virtualized, it can be moved easily to a different hosting environment without requiring a lengthy and technically risky reinstallation procedure. With ProSight Virtual Hosting, your business is not locked into a single hosting service. Find out more about ProSight Virtual Hosting services.

• ProSight Active Security Monitoring: Endpoint Protection and Ransomware Defense
  ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) is an endpoint protection (EPP) solution that utilizes SentinelOne's next generation behavior-based analysis tools to guard physical and virtual endpoint devices against new malware attacks such as ransomware and file-less exploits, which routinely escape legacy signature-matching AV products. ProSight Active Security Monitoring safeguards on-premises and cloud resources and offers a single platform to manage the entire threat progression including blocking, identification, containment, cleanup, and forensics. Key features include one-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) and automatic network-wide immunization against newly discovered threats. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. Read more about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) endpoint protection and ransomware defense.

• ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP): Physical and Virtual Endpoint Security and Exchange Filtering
  Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection managed services offer economical in-depth protection for physical servers and VMs, workstations, mobile devices, and Microsoft Exchange. ProSight ESP utilizes contextual security and modern behavior analysis for continuously monitoring and reacting to security threats from all vectors. ProSight ESP provides two-way firewall protection, penetration alarms, device control, and web filtering through leading-edge tools incorporated within one agent managed from a unified control. Progent's data protection and virtualization consultants can assist your business to plan and implement a ProSight ESP deployment that addresses your organization's unique needs and that allows you demonstrate compliance with legal and industry information security standards. Progent will assist you define and implement policies that ProSight ESP will enforce, and Progent will monitor your IT environment and react to alarms that call for urgent attention. Progent can also assist your company to install and verify a backup and restore solution like ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS) so you can recover quickly from a potentially disastrous security attack like ransomware. Learn more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP) unified physical and virtual endpoint protection and Microsoft Exchange email filtering.