Charlotte Ransomware Defense and Restoration Expertise

Ransomware Hot Line: 800-462-8800

24x7 Online Help from a Senior Ransomware Engineer
Ransomware needs time to steal its way across a target network. For this reason, ransomware attacks are commonly launched on weekends and at night, when support staff may take longer to recognize a penetration and are less able to mount a rapid and forceful defense. The more lateral progress ransomware can make within a target's network, the longer it takes to recover core IT services and damaged files and the more information can be exfiltrated to the dark web.

Progent's Ransomware Hot Line is intended to guide organizations to carry out the urgent first step in responding to a ransomware assault by containing the malware. Progent's online ransomware engineers can assist organizations in the Charlotte area to identify and quarantine infected devices and guard clean assets from being compromised.

If your network has been penetrated by any strain of ransomware, don't panic. Get immediate help by calling Progent's Ransomware Hot Line at 800-462-8800.

Progent's Ransomware Response Services Available in Charlotte
Modern strains of ransomware such as Ryuk, Maze, Netwalker, and Nephilim encrypt online data and attack any available system restores and backups. Data synched to the cloud can also be impacted. For a vulnerable environment, this can make system recovery almost impossible and effectively knocks the IT system back to square one. Threat Actors (TAs), the cybercriminals responsible for ransomware assault, demand a ransom fee for the decryptors required to recover encrypted data. Ransomware assaults also try to steal (or "exfiltrate") information and hackers demand an additional settlement for not publishing this data or selling it. Even if you are able to restore your network to an acceptable date in time, exfiltration can be a major problem according to the nature of the stolen information.

The restoration process after a ransomware incursion has several distinct stages, most of which can proceed in parallel if the response workgroup has a sufficient number of people with the necessary experience.

• Containment: This urgent initial response involves blocking the lateral spread of the attack within your network. The more time a ransomware assault is allowed to go unrestricted, the longer and more expensive the restoration process. Recognizing this, Progent maintains a 24x7 Ransomware Hotline staffed by seasoned ransomware recovery experts. Quarantine processes consist of cutting off infected endpoint devices from the rest of network to restrict the spread, documenting the environment, and securing entry points.
• System continuity: This involves restoring the network to a minimal useful level of capability with the least downtime. This effort is usually the highest priority for the targets of the ransomware attack, who often see it as a life-or-death issue for their company. This activity also demands the widest array of technical abilities that cover domain controllers, DHCP servers, physical and virtual servers, desktops, notebooks and smart phones, databases, office and line-of-business applications, network architecture, and secure remote access. Progent's recovery team uses advanced collaboration platforms to coordinate the complex recovery process. Progent understands the importance of working rapidly, continuously, and in concert with a client's management and network support staff to prioritize tasks and to get vital resources on line again as quickly as possible.
• Data restoration: The work required to restore data impacted by a ransomware assault depends on the state of the systems, the number of files that are affected, and which recovery methods are needed. Ransomware attacks can take down key databases which, if not carefully closed, might need to be rebuilt from the beginning. This can include DNS and Active Directory databases. Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server depend on Active Directory, and many ERP and other business-critical platforms depend on Microsoft SQL Server. Some detective work could be needed to locate clean data. For instance, non-encrypted OST files may exist on staff desktop computers and laptops that were not connected during the ransomware attack. Progent's ProSight Data Protection Services utilize Altaro VM Backup tools to protect against ransomware via Immutable Cloud Storage. This creates tamper-proof data that cannot be modified by any user including administrators.
• Deploying modern antivirus/ransomware protection: Progent's Active Security Monitoring incorporates SentinelOne's behavioral analysis technology to offer small and medium-sized companies the benefits of the identical anti-virus tools used by some of the world's largest corporations such as Netflix, Visa, and NASDAQ. By delivering real-time malware blocking, identification, containment, repair and analysis in one integrated platform, Progent's ProSight ASM reduces total cost of ownership, streamlines administration, and expedites resumption of operations. SentinelOne's next-generation endpoint protection engine built into in Progent's Active Security Monitoring was ranked by Gartner Group as the industry's "most visionary Endpoint Protection Platform." Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. Read about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring next-generation endpoint protection and ransomware defense with SentinelOne technology.
• Negotiation with the threat actor (TA): Progent is experienced in negotiating settlements with hackers. This calls for working closely with the victim and the cyber insurance provider, if any. Activities include establishing the kind of ransomware involved in the attack; identifying and making contact with the hacker; testing decryption capabilities; deciding on a settlement amount with the ransomware victim and the cyber insurance carrier; negotiating a settlement amount and schedule with the hacker; checking adherence to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations; carrying out the crypto-currency disbursement to the hacker; receiving, reviewing, and using the decryptor utility; troubleshooting decryption problems; creating a clean environment; mapping and connecting datastores to match precisely their pre-encryption condition; and restoring machines and software services.
• Forensics: This process is aimed at learning the ransomware assault's progress throughout the targeted network from start to finish. This audit trail of the way a ransomware assault progressed within the network helps your IT staff to assess the damage and brings to light shortcomings in rules or work habits that should be rectified to prevent future break-ins. Forensics entails the review of all logs, registry, GPO, Active Directory, DNS, routers, firewalls, scheduled tasks, and core Windows systems to look for changes. Forensics is commonly assigned a high priority by the cyber insurance provider. Since forensics can take time, it is critical that other important recovery processes such as business continuity are pursued concurrently. Progent maintains a large roster of IT and cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and experience needed to perform activities for containment, operational continuity, and data recovery without disrupting forensics.

Contact Progent for Ransomware System Restoration Consulting in Charlotte
For ransomware cleanup consulting in the Charlotte metro area, call Progent at 800-462-8800 or see Contact Progent.