Dallas 24-Hour Critical Crypto-Ransomware
Infection Damage Assessment and Repair Help

Ransomware : Your Worst IT Disaster
Crypto-Ransomware has become a modern cyberplague that represents an extinction-level danger for businesses poorly prepared for an assault. Multiple generations of crypto-ransomware like the Dharma, WannaCry, Bad Rabbit, Syskey and MongoLock cryptoworms have been circulating for a long time and still inflict harm. Modern strains of ransomware such as Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, Netwalker, LockBit or Nephilim, along with more as yet unnamed malware, not only encrypt online data but also infiltrate any available system protection mechanisms. Information synchronized to cloud environments can also be ransomed. In a vulnerable environment, this can render any restore operations useless and basically sets the network back to square one.

Restoring programs and data after a crypto-ransomware outage becomes a race against the clock as the targeted organization fights to contain, remove the ransomware, and restore mission-critical activity. Because ransomware needs time to move laterally, assaults are usually launched on weekends and holidays, when successful penetrations typically take more time to detect. This compounds the difficulty of rapidly assembling and coordinating an experienced mitigation team.

Progent has an assortment of support services for protecting organizations from crypto-ransomware penetrations. These include staff education to help identify and avoid phishing attempts, ProSight Active Security Monitoring for remote monitoring and management, plus installation of the latest generation security solutions with machine learning capabilities from SentinelOne to detect and extinguish zero-day threats quickly. Progent also offers the assistance of experienced ransomware recovery professionals with the track record and perseverance to reconstruct a compromised environment as rapidly as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Recovery Services
Subsequent to a crypto-ransomware penetration, even paying the ransom demands in cryptocurrency does not provide any assurance that merciless criminals will return the codes to decipher any of your data. Kaspersky determined that 17% of ransomware victims never recovered their information after having sent off the ransom, resulting in increased losses. The gamble is also costly. Ryuk ransoms are commonly several hundred thousand dollars. For larger enterprises, the ransom demand can reach millions. The fallback is to piece back together the vital parts of your Information Technology environment. Absent the availability of essential data backups, this requires a broad range of IT skills, well-coordinated team management, and the ability to work non-stop until the job is completed.

For decades, Progent has offered professional IT services for companies throughout the United States and has earned Microsoft's Partnership certification status in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's team of subject matter experts (SMEs) includes engineers who have attained top certifications in foundation technologies such as Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and popular distributions of Linux. Progent's cybersecurity engineers have earned internationally-renowned industry certifications including CISA, CISSP-ISSAP, CRISC, SANS GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (Refer to Progent's certifications). Progent in addition has experience in financial systems and ERP applications. This breadth of experience gives Progent the skills to knowledgably identify necessary systems and organize the surviving pieces of your Information Technology environment after a crypto-ransomware penetration and assemble them into a functioning system.

Progent's ransomware group uses state-of-the-art project management applications to orchestrate the sophisticated recovery process. Progent knows the urgency of acting quickly and together with a customer's management and Information Technology resources to prioritize tasks and to get the most important systems back online as fast as humanly possible.

Client Case Study: A Successful Crypto-Ransomware Virus Recovery
A customer engaged Progent after their network was crashed by Ryuk ransomware. Ryuk is thought to have been developed by Northern Korean state cybercriminals, possibly adopting techniques exposed from America's National Security Agency. Ryuk seeks specific businesses with little or no ability to sustain operational disruption and is among the most profitable examples of ransomware. High publicized targets include Data Resolution, a California-based data warehousing and cloud computing company, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's client is a small manufacturer headquartered in Chicago with around 500 employees. The Ryuk event had frozen all business operations and manufacturing processes. The majority of the client's information backups had been on-line at the time of the attack and were encrypted. The client was evaluating paying the ransom (in excess of two hundred thousand dollars) and hoping for good luck, but in the end engaged Progent.

Progent worked with the client to quickly get our arms around and assign priority to the mission critical systems that had to be restored to make it possible to restart business functions:

• Windows Active Directory
• Electronic Messaging
• Accounting/MRP

In less than 2 days, Progent was able to restore Active Directory to its pre-attack state. Progent then accomplished reinstallations and hard drive recovery of key applications. All Exchange Server data and attributes were intact, which accelerated the restore of Exchange. Progent was able to locate non-encrypted OST data files (Outlook Off-Line Folder Files) on various PCs and laptops to recover email messages. A recent off-line backup of the client's accounting/ERP systems made it possible to recover these vital services back on-line. Although major work needed to be completed to recover fully from the Ryuk attack, core systems were recovered quickly:

During the next month critical milestones in the restoration process were accomplished through close collaboration between Progent engineers and the customer:

• Internal web applications were brought back up with no loss of information.
• The MailStore Microsoft Exchange Server containing more than 4 million archived emails was brought on-line and available for users.
• CRM/Orders/Invoices/Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivables/Inventory functions were 100 percent functional.
• A new Palo Alto Networks 850 security appliance was installed and configured.
• Most of the desktop computers were back into operation.

Conclusion
A probable enterprise-killing catastrophe was avoided with results-oriented professionals, a broad range of IT skills, and tight collaboration. Although in hindsight the ransomware incident detailed here would have been identified and stopped with advanced security solutions and ISO/IEC 27001 best practices, user and IT administrator education, and properly executed incident response procedures for data backup and proper patching controls, the reality remains that government-sponsored cyber criminals from Russia, China and elsewhere are tireless and represent an ongoing threat. If you do get hit by a ransomware attack, feel confident that Progent's roster of experts has a proven track record in ransomware virus defense, remediation, and data disaster recovery.

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

Additional Ransomware Protection Services Available from Progent
Progent can provide businesses in Dallas a range of remote monitoring and security evaluation services designed to help you to reduce your vulnerability to ransomware. These services include modern machine learning technology to detect new variants of ransomware that can evade traditional signature-based security solutions.

• ProSight Managed Service Packages: for Small to Mid-size Businesses
  Progent's ProSight Managed IT Service Packages make it realistic for small and mid-size businesses to utilize Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) solutions to create leading-edge network resilience. Progent takes care of the daily monitoring and maintenance for you, so your network expands smoothly without becoming an obstacle. For an affordable and predictable monthly subscription, Progent's experienced IT team can be your complete technology safety net. Basic plans include remote monitoring and management (RMM), cybersecurity, 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), pen testing, or WiFi management.

• ProSight LAN Watch: Server and Desktop Monitoring and Management
  ProSight LAN Watch is Progent's server and desktop remote monitoring managed service that incorporates state-of-the-art remote monitoring and management techniques to keep your network operating efficiently by checking the health of vital assets that drive your information system. When ProSight LAN Watch detects an issue, an alarm is sent immediately to your specified IT staff and your Progent engineering consultant so all potential problems can be resolved before they have a chance to disrupt your network. Learn more details about ProSight LAN Watch server and desktop monitoring consulting.

• ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM: Unified RMM for Networks, Servers, and Desktops
  ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM software delivers a unified, cloud-driven platform for monitoring and managing your network, server, and desktop devices by offering tools for performing common tedious tasks. These include health monitoring, update management, automated remediation, endpoint configuration, backup and restore, A/V response, remote access, built-in and custom scripts, resource inventory, endpoint status reports, and debugging support. 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 that potential problems can be taken care of before they impact your network. Learn more 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 simple and affordable for smaller organizations to map out, monitor, optimize and troubleshoot their networking hardware such as routers and switches, firewalls, and load balancers as well as servers, endpoints and other networked devices. Using cutting-edge RMM technology, ProSight WAN Watch ensures that infrastructure topology diagrams are kept updated, captures and manages the configuration of almost all devices connected to your network, tracks performance, and generates notices when potential issues are discovered. By automating complex management activities, WAN Watch can knock hours off ordinary chores like network mapping, reconfiguring your network, locating devices that need important software patches, or identifying the cause of performance bottlenecks. Find out more details about ProSight WAN Watch infrastructure monitoring and management services.

• ProSight Reporting: In-depth Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Applications
  ProSight Reporting is an expanding suite of real-time and in-depth management reporting utilities created to integrate with the top ticketing and remote network monitoring applications 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 inconsistent support follow-through or machines with missing patches. By exposing ticketing or network health problems concisely and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting enhances productivity, reduces management overhead, and saves money. For more information, see ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring platforms.

• ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS): Managed Backup and Recovery Services
  Progent has partnered with advanced backup technology providers to produce ProSight Data Protection Services, a portfolio of subscription-based management offerings that provide backup-as-a-service (BaaS). ProSight DPS products automate and monitor your backup processes and enable transparent backup and rapid restoration of critical files/folders, applications, system images, and Hyper-V and VMware virtual machines. ProSight DPS lets you protect against data loss caused by hardware failures, natural disasters, fire, malware such as ransomware, human error, ill-intentioned employees, or software glitches. Managed services in the ProSight Data Protection Services product family include ProSight Altaro VM Backup, ProSight 365 Total Backup (formerly Altaro 365 Backup), ProSight DPS ECHO Backup using Barracuda purpose-built hardware, and ProSight MSP360 Hybrid Backup. Your Progent expert can assist you to determine which of these managed backup services are best suited for your network.

• ProSight Email Guard: Inbound and Outbound Spam Filtering and Data Leakage Protection
  ProSight Email Guard is Progent's spam and virus filtering service that uses the infrastructure of top data security vendors to provide web-based management and world-class security for your inbound and outbound email. The hybrid architecture of Progent's Email Guard integrates a Cloud Protection Layer with a local gateway device to provide advanced defense against spam, viruses, Denial of Service Attacks, Directory Harvest Attacks (DHAs), and other email-based malware. The Cloud Protection Layer acts as a first line of defense and keeps the vast majority of unwanted email from reaching your security perimeter. This reduces your exposure to external attacks and saves network bandwidth and storage space. Email Guard's on-premises gateway appliance provides a further level of analysis for incoming email. For outbound email, the onsite security gateway offers AV and anti-spam filtering, policy-based Data Loss Prevention, and email encryption. The onsite security gateway can also assist Exchange Server to monitor and safeguard internal email traffic that originates and ends within your security perimeter. For more details, see ProSight Email Guard spam and content filtering.

• ProSight Duo Two-Factor Authentication: Identity Validation, Endpoint Remediation, and Protected Single Sign-on
  Progent's Duo authentication service plans incorporate Cisco's Duo technology to protect against password theft through the use of two-factor authentication. Duo enables single-tap identity verification on iOS, Android, and other personal devices. With 2FA, whenever you log into a secured application and give your password you are asked to confirm your identity on a device that only you possess and that uses a different network channel. A wide range of out-of-band devices can be utilized for this second means of authentication such as a smartphone or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You can register multiple verification devices. To learn more about Duo two-factor identity authentication services, refer to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services.

• Progent's Outsourced/Shared Help Center: Call Center Managed Services
  Progent's Help Desk services enable your IT staff to outsource Call Center services to Progent or split activity for Help Desk services transparently between your internal support resources and Progent's extensive roster of IT service technicians, engineers and subject matter experts. Progent's Co-managed Service Desk provides a smooth extension of your in-house support team. Client access to the Service Desk, provision of support, problem escalation, ticket creation and updates, performance measurement, and maintenance of the service database are cohesive regardless of whether issues are taken care of by your internal network support staff, by Progent's team, or by a combination. Learn more about Progent's outsourced/co-managed Service Desk services.

• Active Protection Against Ransomware: Machine Learning-based Ransomware Detection and Cleanup
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection service that utilizes next generation behavior-based machine learning technology to guard endpoints as well as physical and virtual servers against modern malware attacks like ransomware and email phishing, which easily evade legacy signature-based AV products. Progent ASM services safeguard on-premises and cloud-based resources and provides a single platform to address the complete threat progression including protection, identification, containment, cleanup, and post-attack forensics. Key features include single-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) and automatic network-wide immunization against new threats. Find out more about Progent's ransomware protection and cleanup services.

• ProSight IT Asset Management: Network Documentation Management
  ProSight IT Asset Management service is an IT infrastructure documentation management service that makes it easy to create, maintain, retrieve and protect information about your IT infrastructure, processes, applications, and services. You can instantly locate passwords or IP addresses and be alerted about impending expirations of SSL certificates or domains. By updating and organizing your network documentation, you can eliminate as much as half of time thrown away looking for vital information about your IT network. ProSight IT Asset Management includes a common location for storing and collaborating on all documents related to managing your business network like standard operating procedures (SOPs) and self-service instructions. ProSight IT Asset Management also supports advanced automation for collecting and associating IT data. Whether you're planning enhancements, doing maintenance, or reacting to an emergency, ProSight IT Asset Management delivers the information you require when you need it. Find out more about ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Progent's Patch Management: Patch Management Services
  Progent's support services for patch management provide businesses of any size a flexible and affordable alternative for evaluating, testing, scheduling, implementing, and documenting software and firmware updates to your ever-evolving IT network. 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 network. Find out more about Progent's patch management services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted VMs at Progent's World-class Data Center
  With ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small or mid-size business can have its critical servers and applications hosted in a protected Tier III data center on a fast virtual machine host set up and maintained by Progent's IT support experts. With Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting service model, the customer retains ownership of the data, the operating system platforms, and the applications. Since the environment is virtualized, it can be moved immediately to a different hosting solution without a time-consuming and technically risky configuration procedure. With ProSight Virtual Hosting, you are not locked into one hosting provider. Learn more about ProSight Virtual Hosting services.

• ProSight Active Security Monitoring: Endpoint Protection and Ransomware Defense
  ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) is an endpoint protection solution 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 evade legacy signature-based AV products. ProSight ASM safeguards on-premises and cloud resources and provides a unified platform to address the entire malware attack lifecycle including protection, infiltration detection, mitigation, cleanup, and forensics. Key capabilities include one-click rollback with Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) and real-time network-wide immunization against newly discovered threats. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, dealer, and integrator. Read more about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring endpoint protection and ransomware recovery.

• ProSight Enhanced Security Protection: Endpoint Protection and Exchange Filtering
  ProSight Enhanced Security Protection managed services deliver economical multi-layer protection for physical servers and VMs, desktops, smartphones, and Microsoft Exchange. ProSight ESP uses contextual security and advanced machine learning for round-the-clock monitoring and responding to security assaults from all attack vectors. ProSight ESP provides firewall protection, intrusion alarms, device control, and web filtering via cutting-edge technologies incorporated within a single agent managed from a unified console. Progent's security and virtualization consultants can assist you to design and configure a ProSight ESP environment that meets your organization's unique requirements and that helps you achieve and demonstrate compliance with legal and industry information security regulations. Progent will help you define and configure policies that ProSight ESP will manage, and Progent will monitor your IT environment and react to alarms that require urgent action. Progent's consultants can also assist your company to set up and test a backup and disaster recovery system like ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS) so you can recover quickly from a potentially disastrous cyber attack such as ransomware. Find out more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP) unified physical and virtual endpoint security and Microsoft Exchange filtering.