Cheyenne 24-Hour Urgent Crypto-Ransomware
Malware Detection and Remediation Experts

Ransomware : Your Feared Information Technology Catastrophe
Ransomware has become a modern cyber pandemic that represents an extinction-level threat for businesses of all sizes unprepared for an assault. Different versions of ransomware like the Dharma, Fusob, Locky, SamSam and MongoLock cryptoworms have been out in the wild for many years and continue to cause havoc. More recent strains of ransomware like Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, Netwalker, Conti or Egregor, along with more unnamed newcomers, not only do encryption of on-line data files but also infiltrate any accessible system protection mechanisms. Information synchronized to the cloud can also be encrypted. In a poorly designed data protection solution, it can render automatic restoration useless and basically sets the entire system back to zero.

Getting back online applications and data following a ransomware event becomes a sprint against time as the targeted business fights to stop the spread, clear the virus, and restore enterprise-critical activity. Due to the fact that ransomware requires time to move laterally, attacks are frequently sprung during nights and weekends, when penetrations are likely to take more time to detect. This multiplies the difficulty of quickly marshalling and orchestrating a qualified response team.

Progent makes available an assortment of services for securing organizations from ransomware attacks. These include staff training to help identify and avoid phishing attempts, ProSight Active Security Monitoring for remote monitoring and management, along with setup and configuration of next-generation security solutions with artificial intelligence technology from SentinelOne to detect and suppress new threats automatically. Progent also can provide the assistance of expert crypto-ransomware recovery engineers with the talent and commitment to rebuild a breached network as urgently as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Recovery Services
After a crypto-ransomware attack, sending the ransom in cryptocurrency does not guarantee that distant criminals will return the needed keys to unencrypt any or all of your data. Kaspersky Labs estimated that 17% of crypto-ransomware victims never recovered their data even after having sent off the ransom, resulting in increased losses. The risk is also very costly. Ryuk ransoms are typically several hundred thousand dollars. For larger organizations, the ransom can be in the millions. The alternative is to setup from scratch the key parts of your IT environment. Absent the availability of essential information backups, this calls for a broad range of IT skills, professional team management, and the capability to work 24x7 until the task is completed.

For two decades, Progent has made available professional Information Technology services for companies across the United States and has earned Microsoft's Partnership certification status in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's group of subject matter experts (SMEs) includes professionals who have attained advanced industry certifications in important technologies like Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and major distributions of Linux. Progent's cyber security experts have earned internationally-renowned certifications including CISA, CISSP, ISACA CRISC, SANS GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (See Progent's certifications). Progent also has experience in accounting and ERP software solutions. This breadth of experience gives Progent the skills to rapidly identify critical systems and organize the surviving components of your IT system following a crypto-ransomware penetration and assemble them into an operational system.

Progent's security team of experts deploys powerful project management systems to orchestrate the sophisticated recovery process. Progent knows the importance of working rapidly and together with a customer's management and Information Technology resources to prioritize tasks and to get critical systems back online as fast as possible.

Customer Case Study: A Successful Crypto-Ransomware Attack Recovery
A small business hired Progent after their company was crashed by the Ryuk ransomware. Ryuk is generally considered to have been launched by Northern Korean government sponsored cybercriminals, possibly using approaches exposed from the United States NSA organization. Ryuk goes after specific companies with little ability to sustain disruption and is one of the most profitable versions of crypto-ransomware. Well Known organizations include Data Resolution, a California-based information warehousing and cloud computing company, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's client is a single-location manufacturing company headquartered in the Chicago metro area with around 500 employees. The Ryuk attack had disabled all business operations and manufacturing processes. The majority of the client's data backups had been on-line at the time of the attack and were destroyed. The client considered paying the ransom (in excess of $200K) and hoping for good luck, but in the end engaged Progent.

Progent worked with the client to rapidly determine and prioritize the most important elements that needed to be restored to make it possible to restart company operations:

• Windows Active Directory
• E-Mail
• Accounting/MRP

In less than 2 days, Progent was able to rebuild Active Directory services to its pre-intrusion state. Progent then initiated reinstallations and storage recovery of needed servers. All Exchange ties and configuration information were intact, which facilitated the rebuild of Exchange. Progent was also able to find non-encrypted OST data files (Microsoft Outlook Off-Line Data Files) on user workstations to recover email messages. A not too old off-line backup of the client's accounting/ERP systems made them able to return these vital services back on-line. Although major work needed to be completed to recover completely from the Ryuk virus, core systems were recovered rapidly:

Throughout the next couple of weeks critical milestones in the recovery project were made in tight cooperation between Progent team members and the client:

• Self-hosted web sites were restored with no loss of data.
• The MailStore Server containing more than 4 million archived messages was spun up and available for users.
• CRM/Customer Orders/Invoices/AP/AR/Inventory Control functions were completely recovered.
• A new Palo Alto 850 security appliance was set up and programmed.
• 90% of the desktop computers were back into operation.

Conclusion
A probable business extinction disaster was dodged with top-tier experts, a wide array of knowledge, and close teamwork. Although in hindsight the ransomware virus attack detailed here should have been blocked with up-to-date security technology and NIST Cybersecurity Framework or ISO/IEC 27001 best practices, user and IT administrator education, and well thought out security procedures for information protection and keeping systems up to date with security patches, the reality remains that state-sponsored hackers from Russia, China and elsewhere are relentless and are not going away. If you do fall victim to a crypto-ransomware penetration, feel confident that Progent's roster of experts has extensive experience in ransomware virus defense, remediation, and information systems restoration.

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

Additional Ransomware Protection Services Available from Progent
Progent offers companies in Cheyenne a portfolio of online monitoring and security evaluation services designed to assist you to reduce your vulnerability to crypto-ransomware. These services incorporate modern machine learning technology to uncover new variants of ransomware that are able to evade legacy signature-based anti-virus solutions.

• ProSight LAN Watch: Server and Desktop Monitoring and Management
  ProSight LAN Watch is Progent's server and desktop monitoring service that incorporates state-of-the-art remote monitoring and management techniques to help keep your IT system running at peak levels by tracking the state of critical computers that power your information system. When ProSight LAN Watch detects a problem, an alarm is sent automatically to your designated IT management staff and your assigned Progent engineering consultant so all potential problems can be addressed before they can impact your network. Find out more details about ProSight LAN Watch server and desktop monitoring services.

• ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM: Unified RMM for Networks, Servers, and Workstations
  ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM software delivers a centralized, cloud-based platform for monitoring and managing your client-server infrastructure by offering an environment for performing common tedious tasks. These include health checking, update management, automated remediation, endpoint deployment, backup and recovery, A/V defense, secure remote access, built-in and custom scripts, resource inventory, endpoint status reports, and troubleshooting help. When ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM uncovers a serious incident, it transmits an alarm to your designated IT staff and your Progent technical consultant so that potential issues can be taken care of before they impact productivity. Find out more details about ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM server and desktop remote monitoring services.

• ProSight WAN Watch: Infrastructure Management
  ProSight WAN Watch is a network infrastructure management service that makes it easy and affordable for small and mid-sized businesses to map, track, reconfigure and troubleshoot their networking appliances such as routers, firewalls, and access points as well as servers, client computers and other networked devices. Incorporating state-of-the-art Remote Monitoring and Management technology, WAN Watch ensures that infrastructure topology diagrams are kept current, captures and manages the configuration information of virtually all devices connected to your network, monitors performance, and generates notices when issues are discovered. By automating complex management and troubleshooting activities, WAN Watch can cut hours off ordinary tasks like network mapping, reconfiguring your network, finding devices that require important updates, or identifying the cause of performance issues. Learn more about ProSight WAN Watch network infrastructure management consulting.

• ProSight Reporting: Real-time Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Applications
  ProSight Reporting is an expanding line of real-time management reporting tools created to work with the industry's leading ticketing and network monitoring platforms such as ConnectWise Manage, ConnectWise Automate, Customer Thermometer, Auvik, and SentinelOne. ProSight Reporting incorporates Microsoft Graph and utilizes color coding to surface and contextualize key issues such as spotty support follow-up or machines with out-of-date AVs. By identifying ticketing or network health problems concisely and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting enhances network value, lowers management hassle, and saves money. For more information, see ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring applications.

• ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS): Backup and Disaster Recovery Services
  Progent has partnered with advanced backup software providers to produce ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a selection of subscription-based offerings that deliver backup-as-a-service. ProSight DPS services manage and monitor your data backup processes and enable transparent backup and rapid recovery of important files, apps, system images, plus virtual machines. ProSight DPS lets your business recover from data loss resulting from equipment breakdown, natural calamities, fire, malware such as ransomware, user error, ill-intentioned employees, or software bugs. Managed services in the ProSight DPS product family include ProSight DPS Altaro VM Backup, ProSight 365 Total Backup (formerly Altaro 365 Backup), ProSight ECHO Backup based on Barracuda purpose-built storage, and ProSight MSP360 Cloud and On-prem Backup. Your Progent expert can assist 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 uses the technology of top data security vendors to provide web-based management and comprehensive protection for your inbound and outbound email. The hybrid architecture of Progent's Email Guard managed service combines a Cloud Protection Layer with an on-premises security gateway appliance to provide advanced protection against spam, viruses, Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks, DHAs, and other email-based malware. The Cloud Protection Layer serves as a preliminary barricade and keeps the vast majority of unwanted email from reaching your network firewall. This decreases your exposure to external attacks and conserves system bandwidth and storage space. Email Guard's on-premises gateway device provides a deeper level of analysis for inbound email. For outgoing email, the local security gateway offers AV and anti-spam filtering, policy-based Data Loss Prevention, and email encryption. The local security gateway can also assist Exchange Server to monitor and safeguard internal email traffic that stays within your security perimeter. For more information, visit Email Guard spam filtering and data leakage protection.

• ProSight Duo Two-Factor Authentication: ID Confirmation, Endpoint Remediation, and Secure Single Sign-on (SSO)
  Progent's Duo authentication managed services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to defend against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication. Duo enables one-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Google Android, and other out-of-band devices. With 2FA, whenever you sign into a secured application and enter your password you are asked to confirm who you are on a unit that only you have and that is accessed using a separate network channel. A broad selection of out-of-band devices can be utilized as this added means of authentication such as a smartphone or wearable, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You may register several validation devices. To find out more about Duo identity validation services, visit Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for access security.

• Outsourced/Co-managed Help Desk: Support Desk Managed Services
  Progent's Support Center services allow your information technology team to outsource Call Center services to Progent or divide responsibilities for Service Desk support transparently between your in-house network support team and Progent's extensive pool of certified IT support technicians, engineers and subject matter experts (SMEs). Progent's Co-managed Service Desk offers a seamless supplement to your corporate support organization. End user access to the Service Desk, provision of support, issue escalation, ticket generation and tracking, efficiency measurement, and management of the support database are consistent whether incidents are taken care of by your internal IT support organization, by Progent, or both. Learn more about Progent's outsourced/co-managed Service Desk services.

• Active Defense Against Ransomware: AI-based Ransomware Identification and Remediation
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection managed service that utilizes next generation behavior-based analysis tools to defend endpoint devices and physical and virtual servers against modern malware attacks like ransomware and file-less exploits, which routinely get by legacy signature-matching anti-virus tools. Progent Active Security Monitoring services protect local and cloud resources and provides a unified platform to manage the entire malware attack lifecycle including filtering, detection, containment, cleanup, and forensics. Top capabilities include one-click rollback using Windows VSS and real-time network-wide immunization against newly discovered attacks. Read more about Progent's ransomware defense and cleanup services.

• ProSight IT Asset Management: Network Documentation Management
  Progent's ProSight IT Asset Management service is a cloud-based IT documentation management service that allows you to create, maintain, find and protect information related to your IT infrastructure, processes, business apps, and services. You can quickly find passwords or IP addresses and be alerted about upcoming expirations of SSLs ,domains or warranties. By cleaning up and managing your IT documentation, you can save as much as half of time thrown away trying to find vital information about your IT network. ProSight IT Asset Management includes a common location for holding and sharing all documents required for managing your business network like recommended procedures and self-service instructions. ProSight IT Asset Management also offers advanced automation for collecting and associating IT information. Whether you're making improvements, performing maintenance, or responding to a crisis, ProSight IT Asset Management gets you the data you require as soon as you need it. Read more about ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Patch Management: Patch Management Services
  Progent's managed services for software and firmware patch management provide businesses of any size a versatile and cost-effective solution for evaluating, validating, scheduling, implementing, and tracking software and firmware updates to your dynamic IT system. In addition to optimizing the security and functionality of your IT network, Progent's software/firmware update management services allow your in-house IT team to concentrate on line-of-business initiatives and activities that deliver maximum business value from your information network. Learn more about Progent's patch management support services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted VMs at Progent's World-class Data Center
  With Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small organization can have its key servers and applications hosted in a secure fault tolerant data center on a high-performance virtual host set up and maintained by Progent's network support professionals. With the ProSight Virtual Hosting model, the customer owns the data, the OS platforms, and the apps. Because the environment is virtualized, it can be ported easily to a different hosting environment without requiring a lengthy and technically risky configuration procedure. With ProSight Virtual Hosting, you are not locked into 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 incorporates SentinelOne's next generation behavior-based machine learning tools to defend physical and virtual endpoints against new malware attacks like ransomware and file-less exploits, which routinely get by legacy signature-based anti-virus tools. ProSight ASM safeguards on-premises and cloud-based resources and provides a unified platform to manage the entire threat progression including blocking, infiltration detection, mitigation, cleanup, and post-attack forensics. Top capabilities include one-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service and automatic system-wide immunization against new attacks. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. Find out 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 (ESP) managed services deliver affordable in-depth security for physical servers and VMs, workstations, mobile devices, and Exchange email. ProSight ESP utilizes adaptive security and modern behavior analysis for round-the-clock monitoring and responding to security threats from all attack vectors. ProSight ESP delivers firewall protection, penetration alarms, device management, and web filtering through leading-edge technologies incorporated within a single agent accessible from a unified console. Progent's data protection and virtualization consultants can assist your business to design and configure a ProSight ESP environment that addresses your company's unique needs and that allows you demonstrate compliance with government and industry information security standards. Progent will help you define and configure security policies that ProSight ESP will manage, and Progent will monitor your network and react to alerts that require urgent action. Progent's consultants can also help you to set up 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. Find out more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection unified endpoint protection and Exchange filtering.