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Malware Assessment and Remediation Consultants

Ransomware : Your Crippling Information Technology Catastrophe
Crypto-Ransomware has become a modern cyberplague that presents an extinction-level danger for businesses vulnerable to an assault. Different versions of ransomware such as CryptoLocker, WannaCry, Bad Rabbit, SamSam and MongoLock cryptoworms have been out in the wild for many years and still inflict havoc. Newer versions of ransomware like Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, DopplePaymer, Conti or Nephilim, as well as more unnamed newcomers, not only do encryption of online files but also infect all accessible system restores and backups. Files synched to the cloud can also be encrypted. In a vulnerable system, this can render any restoration hopeless and basically knocks the network back to square one.

Restoring services and information following a crypto-ransomware intrusion becomes a race against the clock as the victim tries its best to contain the damage, clear the virus, and restore enterprise-critical activity. Since ransomware needs time to replicate, assaults are usually launched during nights and weekends, when attacks are likely to take longer to detect. This multiplies the difficulty of quickly marshalling and coordinating a qualified response team.

Progent makes available an assortment of solutions for protecting enterprises from crypto-ransomware penetrations. Among these are team member training to become familiar with and avoid phishing attempts, ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) for remote monitoring and management, in addition to setup and configuration of next-generation security solutions with machine learning capabilities from SentinelOne to identify and disable new threats intelligently. Progent also can provide the assistance of seasoned ransomware recovery consultants with the talent and perseverance to reconstruct a breached environment as quickly as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Restoration Help
Subsequent to a ransomware invasion, paying the ransom in cryptocurrency does not provide any assurance that merciless criminals will return the codes to decipher any of your information. Kaspersky Labs ascertained that seventeen percent of ransomware victims never recovered their data after having paid the ransom, resulting in more losses. The risk is also costly. Ryuk ransoms are often several hundred thousand dollars. For larger enterprises, the ransom demand can be in the millions. The fallback is to setup from scratch the critical parts of your Information Technology environment. Without access to full data backups, this requires a broad complement of IT skills, professional project management, and the willingness to work 24x7 until the job is over.

For twenty years, Progent has offered expert Information Technology services for companies throughout the U.S. and has earned Microsoft's Partnership certification status in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's team of subject matter experts includes engineers who have attained high-level industry certifications in important technologies including Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and popular distributions of Linux. Progent's cyber security specialists have earned internationally-recognized industry certifications including CISM, CISSP-ISSAP, ISACA CRISC, SANS GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (See Progent's certifications). Progent in addition has experience in financial management and ERP software solutions. This breadth of expertise gives Progent the skills to rapidly ascertain important systems and organize the remaining components of your network environment following a crypto-ransomware event and rebuild them into an operational network.

Progent's security team of experts utilizes best of breed project management systems to orchestrate the complicated recovery process. Progent knows the importance of acting swiftly and in unison with a customer's management and IT team members to prioritize tasks and to put the most important systems back online as soon as possible.

Client Case Study: A Successful Crypto-Ransomware Incident Response
A business engaged Progent after their company was attacked by the Ryuk ransomware. Ryuk is thought to have been created by North Korean state sponsored criminal gangs, suspected of adopting technology leaked from America's NSA organization. Ryuk goes after specific organizations with limited tolerance for disruption and is one of the most lucrative instances of ransomware. Well Known victims include Data Resolution, a California-based information warehousing and cloud computing business, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's customer is a single-location manufacturing business headquartered in Chicago with around 500 employees. The Ryuk intrusion had paralyzed all business operations and manufacturing processes. Most of the client's data protection had been directly accessible at the start of the intrusion and were destroyed. The client was evaluating paying the ransom demand (in excess of $200K) and hoping for the best, but ultimately called Progent.

Progent worked together with the client to rapidly get our arms around and prioritize the critical systems that needed to be recovered in order to restart departmental operations:

• Microsoft Active Directory
• Microsoft Exchange
• Accounting and Manufacturing Software

Within 48 hours, Progent was able to re-build Active Directory to its pre-penetration state. Progent then performed reinstallations and hard drive recovery on critical applications. All Exchange Server schema and attributes were intact, which greatly helped the rebuild of Exchange. Progent was able to assemble non-encrypted OST data files (Outlook Email Offline Folder Files) on user desktop computers and laptops in order to recover mail information. A recent off-line backup of the customer's accounting software made them able to return these required services back on-line. Although major work remained to recover fully from the Ryuk damage, the most important services were restored quickly:

During the following month critical milestones in the recovery project were completed in tight collaboration between Progent team members and the customer:

• Self-hosted web applications were returned to operation with no loss of information.
• The MailStore Server containing more than four million archived emails was restored to operations and available for users.
• CRM/Customer Orders/Invoices/AP/Accounts Receivables (AR)/Inventory Control modules were completely restored.
• A new Palo Alto 850 security appliance was brought online.
• Most of the user desktops and notebooks were being used by staff.

Conclusion
A likely business-ending disaster was dodged due to top-tier professionals, a wide range of subject matter expertise, and close teamwork. Although in analyzing the event afterwards the ransomware virus incident detailed here could have been identified and stopped with up-to-date security systems and recognized best practices, team training, and properly executed incident response procedures for data protection and proper patching controls, the reality is that state-sponsored cybercriminals from Russia, North Korea and elsewhere are relentless and are an ongoing threat. If you do get hit by a ransomware incident, feel confident that Progent's roster of experts has proven experience in ransomware virus blocking, cleanup, and data disaster recovery.

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

Additional Crypto-Ransomware Protection Services Available from Progent
Progent can provide businesses in Philadelphia a variety of online monitoring and security assessment services to assist you to minimize the threat from ransomware. These services include next-generation AI capability to detect zero-day strains of ransomware that are able to get past traditional signature-based anti-virus products.

• ProSight Managed Service Plans: for Small to Mid-size Businesses
  Progent's ProSight Managed IT Service Packages make it feasible for small and mid-size businesses to deploy Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) technology to create leading-edge IT resilience. Progent handles the daily monitoring and management for you, so your system expands readily without holding you back. For an affordable and predictable monthly price, Progent's full-service IT team can be your complete technology safety net. Basic packages include RMM, security, monthly patching, and documentation. As your needs expand, you can add low-cost subscriptions to best-in-class options like as SaaS M365/Google Workspace backup, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), penetration testing, or WiFi management.

• ProSight LAN Watch: Server and Desktop Monitoring
  ProSight LAN Watch is Progent's server and desktop remote monitoring managed service that incorporates state-of-the-art remote monitoring and management technology to keep your IT system running efficiently by tracking the state of critical assets that drive your business network. When ProSight LAN Watch uncovers an issue, an alarm is transmitted automatically to your designated IT personnel and your Progent engineering consultant so that any looming problems can be addressed before they can impact your network. Learn more details about ProSight LAN Watch server and desktop monitoring services.

• ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM: Centralized 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 tools for streamlining common time-consuming jobs. These include health checking, update management, automated remediation, endpoint setup, backup and recovery, anti-virus protection, remote access, built-in and custom scripts, asset inventory, endpoint profile reports, and debugging support. When ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM identifies a serious incident, it sends an alert to your specified IT management staff and your assigned Progent consultant so emerging issues can be taken care of before they interfere with productivity. Learn more details about ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM server and desktop monitoring services.

• ProSight WAN Watch: Network Infrastructure Remote Monitoring and Management
  Progent's ProSight WAN Watch is a network infrastructure monitoring and management service that makes it simple and inexpensive for small and mid-sized businesses to diagram, track, reconfigure and troubleshoot their networking appliances like routers, firewalls, and access points plus servers, printers, client computers and other devices. Using cutting-edge RMM technology, WAN Watch ensures that network diagrams are always current, captures and displays the configuration information of virtually all devices on your network, monitors performance, and sends notices when issues are discovered. By automating time-consuming management activities, ProSight WAN Watch can cut hours off common chores like network mapping, expanding your network, locating devices that need critical software patches, or resolving performance issues. Find out more about ProSight WAN Watch infrastructure management services.

• ProSight Reporting: Real-time and In-depth Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Applications
  ProSight Reporting is a growing family of in-depth reporting utilities created to work with the leading ticketing and remote network monitoring applications including ConnectWise Manage, ConnectWise Automate, Customer Thermometer, Auvik, and SentinelOne. ProSight Reporting uses Microsoft Graph and utilizes color coding to highlight and contextualize key issues like spotty support follow-up or machines with missing patches. By identifying ticketing or network health problems concisely and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting enhances network value, lowers management overhead, and saves money. For details, visit ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring platforms.

• ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS): Backup and Disaster Recovery Services
  Progent has partnered with advanced backup technology providers to produce ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS), a selection of subscription-based management outsourcing plans that deliver backup-as-a-service. ProSight DPS services automate and monitor your backup processes and allow transparent backup and rapid recovery of important files/folders, apps, system images, and VMs. ProSight DPS helps your business recover from data loss caused by equipment breakdown, natural disasters, fire, malware such as ransomware, human mistakes, malicious insiders, or software bugs. Managed services available in the ProSight Data Protection Services product line include ProSight Altaro VM Backup, ProSight 365 Total Backup (formerly Altaro 365 Backup), ProSight DPS ECHO Backup based on Barracuda dedicated storage, and ProSight MSP360 Hybrid Backup. Your Progent consultant can help you to determine which of these managed backup services are most appropriate for your network.

• 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 deliver centralized control and comprehensive security for all your inbound and outbound email. The hybrid structure of Progent's Email Guard combines cloud-based filtering with a local gateway device to offer complete defense against spam, viruses, Dos Attacks, Directory Harvest Attacks, and other email-borne malware. Email Guard's Cloud Protection Layer serves as a first line of defense and keeps most threats from making it to your network firewall. This reduces your exposure to external threats and conserves system bandwidth and storage space. Email Guard's on-premises gateway appliance adds a further layer of inspection for inbound email. For outgoing email, the local security gateway offers AV and anti-spam protection, DLP, and email encryption. The on-premises security gateway can also assist Microsoft Exchange Server to track and protect internal email traffic that stays within your corporate firewall. For more details, visit Email Guard spam and content filtering.

• ProSight Duo Multi-Factor Authentication: ID Confirmation, Endpoint Remediation, and Protected Single Sign-on
  Progent's Duo MFA service plans utilize Cisco's Duo cloud technology to defend against stolen passwords through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables single-tap identity confirmation with Apple iOS, Android, and other personal devices. Using Duo 2FA, whenever you sign into a protected application and enter your password you are requested to confirm who you are via a unit that only you have and that uses a separate network channel. A wide 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 telephone, etc. You may designate several validation devices. For details about Duo identity authentication services, refer to Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services.

• Progent's Outsourced/Shared Help Desk: Support Desk Managed Services
  Progent's Call Center managed services permit your information technology group to outsource Call Center services to Progent or split responsibilities for Help Desk services seamlessly between your in-house support resources and Progent's extensive roster of certified IT service engineers and subject matter experts (SMEs). Progent's Shared Help Desk Service offers a smooth supplement to your in-house support group. Client interaction with the Service Desk, provision of support services, escalation, ticket creation and updates, performance measurement, and maintenance of the support database are consistent regardless of whether incidents are resolved by your corporate support staff, by Progent's team, or both. Read more about Progent's outsourced/co-managed Call Desk services.

• Progent Active Protection Against Ransomware: AI-based Ransomware Identification and Cleanup
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection solution that utilizes next generation behavior-based analysis tools to defend endpoints and servers and VMs against modern malware attacks such as ransomware and email phishing, which easily escape traditional signature-based AV tools. Progent ASM services safeguard local and cloud resources and provides a unified platform to manage the entire malware attack lifecycle including blocking, detection, mitigation, remediation, and forensics. Top features include one-click rollback with Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) and real-time system-wide immunization against newly discovered 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 a cloud-based IT documentation management service that makes it easy to create, update, find and safeguard information related to your IT infrastructure, procedures, applications, and services. You can quickly find passwords or IP addresses and be warned about upcoming expirations of SSLs ,domains or warranties. By updating and organizing your IT infrastructure documentation, you can eliminate up to half of time spent looking for critical information about your IT network. ProSight IT Asset Management includes a common location for storing and collaborating on all documents related to 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 making improvements, doing maintenance, or reacting to an emergency, ProSight IT Asset Management gets you the data you require the instant you need it. Read more about Progent's ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Patch Management: Software/Firmware Update Management Services
  Progent's managed services for software and firmware patch management offer organizations of all sizes a flexible and cost-effective alternative for evaluating, testing, scheduling, implementing, and documenting software and firmware updates to your dynamic IT system. Besides optimizing the protection and reliability of your computer network, Progent's software/firmware update management services permit your IT staff to focus on more strategic initiatives and activities that derive the highest business value from your network. Learn more about Progent's software/firmware update management support services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted Virtual Machines at Progent's Tier III Data Center
  With ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small business can have its critical servers and applications hosted in a protected Tier III data center on a high-performance virtual host set up and maintained by Progent's IT support experts. With the ProSight Virtual Hosting model, the customer owns the data, the OS platforms, and the apps. Because the system is virtualized, it can be moved easily to an alternate hardware environment without a lengthy and technically risky configuration procedure. With ProSight Virtual Hosting, your business is not tied a single hosting provider. Learn more about ProSight Virtual Hosting services.

• ProSight Active Security Monitoring: Endpoint Protection and Ransomware Defense
  Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring is an endpoint protection (EPP) service that incorporates SentinelOne's next generation behavior analysis tools to defend physical and virtual endpoint devices against modern malware attacks like ransomware and email phishing, which easily evade traditional signature-based anti-virus products. ProSight ASM protects on-premises and cloud resources and offers a single platform to automate the complete threat progression including blocking, identification, containment, cleanup, and forensics. Top capabilities include one-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service and real-time system-wide immunization against newly discovered attacks. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. Find out more about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) next-generation endpoint protection and ransomware defense.

• ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP): Endpoint Security and Exchange Filtering
  ProSight Enhanced Security Protection services offer affordable in-depth protection for physical and virtual servers, workstations, smartphones, and Exchange Server. ProSight ESP uses contextual security and advanced machine learning for continuously monitoring and reacting to security threats from all attack vectors. ProSight ESP delivers firewall protection, penetration alarms, device management, and web filtering through cutting-edge tools packaged within a single agent managed from a unified console. Progent's security and virtualization experts can help your business to design and implement a ProSight ESP environment that meets your company's specific requirements and that allows you prove compliance with legal and industry data security standards. Progent will help you define and configure policies that ProSight ESP will enforce, and Progent will monitor your network and react to alarms that require urgent action. Progent can also help your company to install and verify a backup and restore solution such as ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS) so you can recover rapidly from a potentially disastrous cyber attack such as ransomware. Learn more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection unified endpoint security and Microsoft Exchange filtering.