Edmonton 24-Hour Critical Ransomware
Virus Assessment and Restoration Consulting

Ransomware : Your Crippling Information Technology Catastrophe
Crypto-Ransomware has become a too-frequent cyberplague that presents an extinction-level threat for businesses unprepared for an attack. Multiple generations of ransomware such as CryptoLocker, CryptoWall, Bad Rabbit, NotPetya and MongoLock cryptoworms have been running rampant for many years and still inflict damage. Recent variants of ransomware such as Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, Netwalker, LockBit or Nephilim, as well as frequent unnamed newcomers, not only do encryption of on-line data but also infiltrate most accessible system backup. Information synched to cloud environments can also be encrypted. In a poorly designed environment, it can make any restoration useless and effectively knocks the datacenter back to zero.

Getting back applications and information after a crypto-ransomware intrusion becomes a race against time as the targeted business tries its best to stop the spread, clear the ransomware, and resume enterprise-critical operations. Since ransomware requires time to spread, penetrations are frequently launched during weekends and nights, when attacks in many cases take longer to detect. This multiplies the difficulty of promptly marshalling and orchestrating a qualified response team.

Progent provides an assortment of help services for protecting businesses from crypto-ransomware attacks. Among these are user training to help recognize and not fall victim to phishing scams, ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) for remote monitoring and management, plus setup and configuration of modern security gateways with AI capabilities from SentinelOne to identify and extinguish day-zero cyber threats automatically. Progent in addition can provide the services of veteran crypto-ransomware recovery professionals with the track record and commitment to reconstruct a compromised environment as rapidly as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Recovery Support Services
Subsequent to a ransomware penetration, sending the ransom demands in cryptocurrency does not ensure that criminal gangs will return the keys to decipher all your data. Kaspersky estimated that seventeen percent of ransomware victims never restored their data after having paid the ransom, resulting in more losses. The gamble 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 key components of your IT environment. Absent the availability of complete information backups, this requires a broad range of IT skills, well-coordinated team management, and the ability to work non-stop until the recovery project is completed.

For twenty years, Progent has provided expert IT services for businesses throughout the U.S. and has earned Microsoft's Partnership certification in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's pool of subject matter experts includes consultants who have attained top industry certifications in foundation technologies such as Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and popular distributions of Linux. Progent's cyber security consultants have garnered internationally-renowned certifications including CISM, CISSP, ISACA CRISC, GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (Visit Progent's certifications). Progent also has expertise with financial management and ERP application software. This breadth of expertise provides Progent the skills to quickly determine important systems and consolidate the remaining parts of your Information Technology environment following a ransomware penetration and rebuild them into a functioning system.

Progent's ransomware group uses powerful project management systems to orchestrate the sophisticated recovery process. Progent understands the importance of acting rapidly and in unison with a customer's management and IT resources to prioritize tasks and to put critical services back on line as fast as humanly possible.

Business Case Study: A Successful Ransomware Virus Restoration
A small business engaged Progent after their network system was taken over by Ryuk ransomware. Ryuk is generally considered to have been launched by Northern Korean state sponsored criminal gangs, possibly using techniques leaked from the U.S. National Security Agency. Ryuk goes after specific businesses with limited ability to sustain disruption and is one of the most profitable iterations of ransomware malware. Well Known targets include Data Resolution, a California-based data warehousing and cloud computing business, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's client is a regional manufacturing business located in Chicago with around 500 workers. The Ryuk event had disabled all essential operations and manufacturing processes. The majority of the client's system backups had been online at the time of the intrusion and were eventually encrypted. The client was pursuing financing for paying the ransom demand (exceeding $200K) and wishfully thinking for good luck, but in the end utilized Progent.

Progent worked hand in hand the customer to rapidly determine and prioritize the critical applications that had to be recovered in order to continue company functions:

• Windows Active Directory
• Electronic Messaging
• Accounting and Manufacturing Software

Within 2 days, Progent was able to recover Windows Active Directory to its pre-intrusion state. Progent then helped perform rebuilding and hard drive recovery on key systems. All Exchange ties and attributes were usable, which greatly helped the restore of Exchange. Progent was also able to assemble non-encrypted OST files (Outlook Off-Line Folder Files) on staff desktop computers and laptops to recover mail messages. A recent off-line backup of the client's financials/MRP systems made it possible to restore these required applications back available to users. Although a large amount of work remained to recover completely from the Ryuk virus, essential systems were recovered quickly:

Throughout the next few weeks key milestones in the recovery project were made through tight cooperation between Progent team members and the customer:

• Self-hosted web applications were restored with no loss of information.
• The MailStore Server with over four million archived emails was brought on-line and accessible to users.
• CRM/Product Ordering/Invoices/Accounts Payable (AP)/AR/Inventory Control functions were completely recovered.
• A new Palo Alto 850 security appliance was set up.
• 90% of the user PCs were functioning as before the incident.

Conclusion
A potential business extinction disaster was evaded with dedicated professionals, a wide range of knowledge, and close collaboration. Although in hindsight the ransomware virus penetration detailed here should have been identified and disabled with modern security solutions and NIST Cybersecurity Framework best practices, staff training, and appropriate security procedures for information protection and applying software patches, the fact remains that government-sponsored cybercriminals from China, Russia, North Korea and elsewhere are relentless and are an ongoing threat. If you do get hit by a ransomware virus, remember that Progent's team of professionals has a proven track record in ransomware virus defense, cleanup, and file disaster recovery.

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

Additional Ransomware Protection Services Available from Progent
Progent offers businesses in Edmonton a portfolio of remote monitoring and security evaluation services to assist you to reduce the threat from ransomware. These services include modern AI technology to detect zero-day variants of crypto-ransomware that are able to escape detection by traditional signature-based anti-virus products.

• ProSight Managed Service Packages: for Small to Mid-size Businesses
  Progent's ProSight Managed IT Service Plans make it feasible for small and mid-size businesses to deploy Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) solutions to achieve advanced IT resilience. Progent handles the necessary monitoring and management for you, so your network expands easily without holding you back. For a low and predictable monthly price, Progent's experienced IT team can be your complete technology safety net. Entry-level packages include remote monitoring and management, security, automatic monthly patching, and reporting. As your needs expand, you can add low-cost subscriptions to best-in-class solutions like as SaaS M365/Google Workspace backup, Multi-Factor Authentication, pen 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 uses advanced remote monitoring and management techniques to keep your IT system running efficiently by checking the health of vital computers that power your information system. When ProSight LAN Watch detects an issue, an alert is transmitted automatically to your designated IT management personnel and your assigned Progent consultant so any potential problems can be resolved before they have a chance to disrupt productivity. Find out more details about ProSight LAN Watch server and desktop remote monitoring consulting.

• ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM: Unified RMM Solution for Networks, Servers, and Desktops
  ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM software offers a centralized, cloud-driven platform for monitoring and managing your client-server infrastructure by providing an environment for streamlining common tedious tasks. These can include health monitoring, patch management, automated repairs, endpoint deployment, backup and restore, anti-virus defense, secure remote access, built-in and custom scripts, resource inventory, endpoint status reporting, and troubleshooting assistance. If ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM uncovers a serious issue, it sends an alert to your specified IT management staff and your assigned Progent consultant so potential problems can be fixed before they interfere with productivity. Find out more about ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM server and desktop monitoring services.

• ProSight WAN Watch: Network Infrastructure Remote Monitoring and Management
  ProSight WAN Watch is a network infrastructure management service that makes it simple and affordable for smaller organizations to map out, track, enhance and debug their networking appliances like routers, firewalls, and access points plus servers, client computers and other devices. Using state-of-the-art Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) technology, WAN Watch ensures that network maps are always current, captures and manages the configuration of almost all devices connected to your network, tracks performance, and sends notices when potential issues are discovered. By automating tedious management and troubleshooting activities, WAN Watch can knock hours off common tasks like making network diagrams, expanding your network, locating devices that require critical software patches, or resolving performance bottlenecks. Learn more about ProSight WAN Watch network infrastructure monitoring and management consulting.

• ProSight Reporting: Real-time and In-depth Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Platforms
  ProSight Reporting is an expanding suite of real-time management reporting tools created to integrate with the industry's top ticketing and remote network monitoring programs such as ConnectWise Manage, ConnectWise Automate, Customer Thermometer, Auvik, and SentinelOne. ProSight Reporting incorporates Microsoft Graph and utilizes color coding to highlight and contextualize critical issues such as spotty support follow-up or machines with out-of-date AVs. By exposing ticketing or network health problems clearly and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting improves network value, lowers management overhead, and saves money. For more information, see ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring platforms.

• ProSight Data Protection Services: Managed Backup and Disaster Recovery Services
  Progent has partnered with leading backup software providers to produce ProSight Data Protection Services, a family of management outsourcing plans that provide backup-as-a-service. ProSight DPS services automate and track your backup processes and allow transparent backup and rapid restoration of critical files, apps, system images, and VMs. ProSight DPS lets you avoid data loss caused by equipment failures, natural calamities, fire, malware such as ransomware, human error, ill-intentioned insiders, or software glitches. Managed backup services available in the ProSight DPS product family include ProSight DPS Altaro VM Backup, ProSight 365 Total Backup (formerly Altaro 365 Backup), ProSight DPS ECHO Backup using Barracuda dedicated storage, and ProSight MSP360 Cloud and On-prem Backup. Your Progent consultant can help you to determine which of these fully managed 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 filtering and email encryption service that incorporates the technology of leading information security vendors to provide web-based control and world-class protection for your inbound and outbound email. The hybrid structure of Email Guard managed service integrates a Cloud Protection Layer with a local gateway device to provide advanced protection against spam, viruses, Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks, DHAs, and other email-based threats. The cloud filter acts as a preliminary barricade and keeps most threats from reaching your network firewall. This reduces your exposure to external attacks and saves system bandwidth and storage. Email Guard's onsite gateway appliance adds a deeper level of inspection for incoming email. For outbound email, the onsite gateway provides AV and anti-spam filtering, protection against data leaks, and email encryption. The local gateway can also help Exchange Server to track and protect internal email that originates and ends within your security perimeter. For more details, see Email Guard spam filtering and data leakage protection.

• ProSight Duo Two-Factor Authentication: Access Security, Endpoint Remediation, and Protected Single Sign-on (SSO)
  Progent's Duo authentication managed services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to protect against password theft through the use of two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo supports one-tap identity verification with iOS, Android, and other out-of-band devices. With Duo 2FA, whenever you log into a secured online account and enter your password you are asked to confirm your identity via a device that only you have and that is accessed using a separate network channel. A broad selection of devices can be utilized for this second means of ID validation such as a smartphone or watch, a hardware/software token, a landline telephone, etc. You can register several validation devices. To learn more about Duo identity authentication services, refer to Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services.

• Progent's Outsourced/Shared Service Center: Call Center Managed Services
  Progent's Support Center services enable your information technology staff to outsource Call Center services to Progent or divide responsibilities for Service Desk support transparently between your in-house support team and Progent's nationwide pool of IT service technicians, engineers and subject matter experts (SMEs). Progent's Co-managed Service Desk provides a smooth supplement to your core network support group. End user access to the Service Desk, delivery of support, issue escalation, ticket generation and tracking, efficiency metrics, and management of the service database are cohesive whether issues are resolved by your corporate IT support resources, by Progent, or both. Find out more about Progent's outsourced/shared Help Desk services.

• Progent Active Defense Against Ransomware: AI-based Ransomware Identification and Remediation
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection service that utilizes cutting edge behavior machine learning technology to defend endpoint devices and servers and VMs against modern malware attacks such as ransomware and email phishing, which easily evade traditional signature-based anti-virus tools. Progent Active Security Monitoring services protect on-premises and cloud-based resources and provides a unified platform to manage the entire threat lifecycle including filtering, detection, containment, remediation, and post-attack forensics. Top capabilities include single-click rollback using Windows VSS and automatic system-wide immunization against new threats. Find out more about Progent's ransomware defense 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 capture, update, find and safeguard data related to your network infrastructure, processes, business apps, and services. You can quickly locate passwords or serial numbers and be alerted automatically about impending expirations of SSLs or domains. By cleaning up and managing your IT infrastructure documentation, you can eliminate as much as half of time wasted trying to find critical information about your IT network. ProSight IT Asset Management includes a common repository for holding and sharing all documents required for managing your network infrastructure like recommended procedures and How-To's. ProSight IT Asset Management also supports a high level of automation for collecting and relating IT information. Whether you're planning enhancements, doing regular maintenance, or responding to a crisis, ProSight IT Asset Management delivers the data you need when you need it. Find out more about Progent's ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Patch Management: Patch Management Services
  Progent's managed services for patch management provide organizations of any size a flexible and affordable alternative for evaluating, testing, scheduling, applying, and tracking updates to your ever-evolving information network. Besides maximizing the protection and reliability of your IT environment, Progent's patch management services free up time for your IT staff to concentrate on more strategic projects and activities that derive the highest business value from your information network. Find out more about Progent's software/firmware update management support services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted Virtual Machines at Progent's Tier III Data Center
  With Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small business can have its critical servers and apps hosted in a protected Tier III data center on a high-performance virtual machine host configured and maintained by Progent's IT support professionals. With Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting service model, the client retains ownership of the data, the operating system platforms, and the apps. Since the system is virtualized, it can be moved immediately to a different hosting environment without a lengthy and technically risky configuration procedure. With ProSight Virtual Hosting, your business is not locked into a single hosting service. 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 service that incorporates SentinelOne's next generation behavior machine learning technology to guard physical and virtual endpoints against new malware assaults such as ransomware and file-less exploits, which routinely get by traditional signature-based anti-virus products. ProSight Active Security Monitoring safeguards local and cloud resources and offers a single platform to address the entire malware attack progression including protection, infiltration detection, mitigation, cleanup, and forensics. Key capabilities include single-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service and automatic system-wide immunization against new threats. 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: Endpoint Protection and Exchange Filtering
  ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP) services deliver affordable in-depth security for physical servers and virtual machines, desktops, smartphones, and Exchange Server. ProSight ESP utilizes adaptive security and advanced heuristics for round-the-clock monitoring and responding to security threats from all attack vectors. ProSight ESP delivers firewall protection, penetration alerts, device control, and web filtering through leading-edge technologies incorporated within a single agent accessible from a unified console. Progent's security and virtualization consultants can help your business to plan and configure a ProSight ESP deployment that addresses your company's specific requirements and that allows you prove compliance with legal and industry data protection regulations. Progent will help you specify and implement policies that ProSight ESP will manage, and Progent will monitor your IT environment and react to alarms that call for urgent attention. Progent can also help your company to set up and verify a backup and disaster recovery system such as ProSight Data Protection Services so you can get back in business rapidly from a destructive cyber attack such as ransomware. Find out more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection unified physical and virtual endpoint security and Microsoft Exchange filtering.