Ransomware Hot Line: 800-462-8800
24x7 Online Help from a Top-tier Ransomware Engineer
Ransomware requires time to steal its way through a target network. Because of this, ransomware assaults are typically unleashed on weekends and late at night, when support personnel may take longer to become aware of a penetration and are less able to organize a quick and coordinated defense. The more lateral movement ransomware can manage inside a victim's system, the more time it will require to restore core operations and scrambled files and the more data can be stolen and posted to the dark web.
Progent's Ransomware Hot Line is designed to assist organizations to complete the time-critical first phase in mitigating a ransomware attack by containing the malware. Progent's online ransomware experts can help you to locate and quarantine breached servers and endpoints and protect undamaged resources from being penetrated.
If your system has been penetrated by any strain of ransomware, don't panic. Get immediate help by calling Progent's 24-hour Ransomware Hot Line at 800-462-8800.
Progent's Ransomware Response Services
Current variants of crypto-ransomware such as Ryuk, Maze, DopplePaymer, and Nephilim encrypt online data and attack any accessible system restores and backups. Files synched to the cloud can also be corrupted. For a vulnerable network, this can make automated recovery nearly impossible and basically knocks the datacenter back to the beginning. Threat Actors (TAs), the hackers behind a ransomware assault, insist on a settlement fee for the decryption tools needed to recover encrypted files. Ransomware assaults also attempt to steal (or "exfiltrate") files and hackers require an extra payment for not posting this information or selling it. Even if you can restore your network to a tolerable date in time, exfiltration can be a big issue according to the sensitivity of the downloaded data.
The recovery process after a ransomware attack has a number of distinct stages, the majority of which can be performed concurrently if the response workgroup has a sufficient number of people with the required skill sets.
- Quarantine: This time-critical initial step requires arresting the lateral spread of ransomware within your network. The longer a ransomware assault is allowed to run unchecked, the more complex and more costly the restoration effort. Recognizing this, Progent maintains a 24x7 Ransomware Hotline staffed by veteran ransomware recovery engineers. Containment processes include isolating affected endpoint devices from the rest of network to restrict the spread, documenting the IT system, and securing entry points.
- System continuity: This involves bringing back the network to a minimal acceptable level of functionality with the least downtime. This effort is usually the top priority for the victims of the ransomware attack, who often see it as an existential issue for their company. This project also demands the broadest range of technical abilities that cover domain controllers, DHCP servers, physical and virtual servers, desktops, notebooks and smart phones, databases, office and mission-critical applications, network topology, and safe endpoint access. Progent's ransomware recovery team uses advanced collaboration platforms to coordinate the complex recovery effort. Progent understands the importance of working rapidly, tirelessly, and in unison with a customer's management and network support staff to prioritize tasks and to get critical resources back online as fast as possible.
- Data restoration: The work required to restore data impacted by a ransomware attack depends on the condition of the systems, the number of files that are encrypted, and what restore techniques are required. Ransomware attacks can take down pivotal databases which, if not carefully closed, may have to be rebuilt from scratch. This can include DNS and Active Directory (AD) databases. Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SQL Server rely on Active Directory, and many manufacturing and other business-critical platforms are powered by Microsoft SQL Server. Often some detective work could be required to find undamaged data. For instance, undamaged OST files (Outlook Email Offline Folder Files) may have survived on employees' PCs and notebooks that were not connected at the time of the attack. Progent's ProSight Data Protection Services offer Altaro VM Backup tools to protect against ransomware by leveraging Immutable Cloud Storage. This creates tamper-proof backup data that cannot be erased or modified by any user including administrators or root users.
- Implementing advanced AV/ransomware protection: Progent's ProSight ASM uses SentinelOne's behavioral analysis technology to offer small and medium-sized businesses the advantages of the identical AV tools used by some of the world's largest corporations including Walmart, Visa, and Salesforce. By providing real-time malware filtering, identification, mitigation, repair and forensics in one integrated platform, ProSight ASM lowers TCO, simplifies management, and expedites operational continuity. SentinelOne's next-generation endpoint protection (NGEP) built into in Progent's Active Security Monitoring was listed by Gartner Group as the "most visionary Endpoint Protection Platform." Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. Read about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring next-generation endpoint protection and ransomware defense with SentinelOne technology.
- Negotiating a settlement with the hacker Progent is experienced in negotiating settlements with threat actors. This requires close co-operation with the victim and the insurance provider, if any. Services consist of determining the type of ransomware involved in the assault; identifying and establishing communications the hacker; testing decryption capabilities; budgeting a settlement with the ransomware victim and the insurance provider; negotiating a settlement and schedule with the hacker; checking compliance with anti-money laundering sanctions; carrying out the crypto-currency payment to the hacker; receiving, learning, and operating the decryptor utility; troubleshooting decryption problems; building a clean environment; remapping and reconnecting datastores to reflect exactly their pre-encryption condition; and reprovisioning machines and services.
- Forensics: This activity involves learning the ransomware assault's storyline across the network from start to finish. This audit trail of how a ransomware attack progressed through the network helps you to assess the impact and highlights gaps in security policies or work habits that need to be corrected to prevent future breaches. Forensics entails the examination of all logs, registry, Group Policy Object (GPO), Active Directory (AD), DNS servers, routers, firewalls, schedulers, and basic Windows systems to check for anomalies. Forensics is commonly given a top priority by the insurance provider. Because forensics can be time consuming, it is critical that other key activities such as operational resumption are performed in parallel. Progent has an extensive team of IT and data security experts with the skills required to carry out activities for containment, operational continuity, and data recovery without disrupting forensics.
Progent's Background
Progent has delivered remote and on-premises network services throughout the United States for more than 20 years and has been awarded Microsoft's Gold Partner certification in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's team of subject matter experts (SMEs) includes consultants who have earned high-level certifications in core technologies including Cisco networking, VMware, and popular distributions of Linux. Progent's data security experts have earned industry-recognized certifications such as CISM, CISSP, and CRISC. (Refer to Progent's certifications). Progent also has top-tier support in financial and ERP applications. This scope of skills allows Progent to salvage and integrate the undamaged parts of your network after a ransomware assault and rebuild them quickly into a viable network. Progent has worked with leading insurance providers including Chubb to assist organizations recover from ransomware attacks.
Download Datasheet: Progent's Ransomware Endpoint Detection and Response Services
To see a datasheet describing Progent's ransomware endpoint detection and response services, click:
Progent's Progent's Ransomware Endpoint Detection and Response Services Datasheet. (PDF - 748 KB)
Contact Progent for Ransomware System Recovery Consulting
For ransomware cleanup expertise, phone Progent at 800-462-8800 or go to Contact Progent.