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Malware Damage Assessment and Repair Support

Ransomware : Your Worst IT Catastrophe
Ransomware has become an escalating cyberplague that presents an existential threat for businesses of all sizes unprepared for an attack. Different iterations of ransomware such as Dharma, WannaCry, Bad Rabbit, SamSam and MongoLock cryptoworms have been replicating for many years and continue to cause havoc. Newer versions of ransomware like Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, DopplePaymer, Snatch or Egregor, along with frequent unnamed viruses, not only encrypt online critical data but also infect any available system protection. Data synched to off-site disaster recovery sites can also be corrupted. In a poorly designed data protection solution, it can make any recovery impossible and effectively knocks the entire system back to square one.

Restoring programs and information following a ransomware outage becomes a race against time as the targeted business fights to stop lateral movement, eradicate the crypto-ransomware, and restore mission-critical activity. Because ransomware requires time to spread, penetrations are often sprung on weekends, when penetrations in many cases take longer to uncover. This multiplies the difficulty of rapidly mobilizing and organizing a knowledgeable response team.

Progent has a variety of support services for securing 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, in addition to deployment of next-generation security solutions with machine learning technology from SentinelOne to detect and suppress zero-day cyber attacks quickly. Progent also provides the assistance of experienced crypto-ransomware recovery engineers with the talent and perseverance to re-deploy a breached network as urgently as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Recovery Support Services
Subsequent to a ransomware invasion, even paying the ransom demands in cryptocurrency does not ensure that criminal gangs will respond with the codes to decrypt all your information. Kaspersky Labs estimated that 17% of ransomware victims never restored their data even 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 be in the millions. The other path is to setup from scratch the key elements of your IT environment. Absent the availability of full information backups, this calls for a broad range of IT skills, professional team management, and the willingness to work non-stop until the job is over.

For twenty years, Progent has offered certified expert IT services for companies throughout the U.S. and has earned Microsoft's Partnership certification status in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's pool of subject matter experts (SMEs) includes engineers who have been awarded advanced certifications in important technologies including Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and popular distributions of Linux. Progent's cyber security experts have garnered internationally-recognized certifications including CISA, CISSP-ISSAP, ISACA CRISC, SANS GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (Visit Progent's certifications). Progent also has expertise with financial systems and ERP software solutions. This breadth of expertise affords Progent the ability to efficiently identify necessary systems and consolidate the surviving pieces of your network system following a crypto-ransomware penetration and rebuild them into a functioning system.

Progent's recovery team of experts deploys powerful project management systems to coordinate the sophisticated restoration process. Progent understands the importance of acting swiftly and in concert with a customer's management and Information Technology resources to prioritize tasks and to get essential systems back online as soon as possible.

Customer Story: A Successful Ransomware Penetration Recovery
A small business escalated to Progent after their network system was penetrated by Ryuk crypto-ransomware. Ryuk is believed to have been launched by Northern Korean state sponsored cybercriminals, possibly using techniques leaked from the United States National Security Agency. Ryuk goes after specific businesses with little room for disruption and is one of the most lucrative examples of ransomware viruses. Major organizations include Data Resolution, a California-based info warehousing and cloud computing firm, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's client is a single-location manufacturer headquartered in the Chicago metro area and has around 500 workers. The Ryuk event had brought down all essential operations and manufacturing capabilities. The majority of the client's system backups had been on-line at the start of the intrusion and were encrypted. The client was taking steps for paying the ransom (in excess of $200,000) and wishfully thinking for the best, but ultimately utilized Progent.

Progent worked with the client to rapidly assess and prioritize the most important applications that needed to be addressed in order to continue company operations:

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

In less than two days, Progent was able to recover Active Directory services to its pre-attack state. Progent then performed rebuilding and storage recovery on needed systems. All Microsoft Exchange Server data and configuration information were usable, which accelerated the rebuild of Exchange. Progent was able to collect intact OST files (Outlook Offline Data Files) on team PCs and laptops in order to recover mail messages. A not too old off-line backup of the businesses manufacturing systems made it possible to return these vital programs back available to users. Although a large amount of work was left to recover completely from the Ryuk virus, core services were restored quickly:

Over the following month key milestones in the restoration process were completed through close collaboration between Progent team members and the client:

• Internal web sites were restored with no loss of information.
• The MailStore Server exceeding four million historical messages was spun up and accessible to users.
• CRM/Customer Orders/Invoicing/Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivables (AR)/Inventory functions were completely recovered.
• A new Palo Alto Networks 850 firewall was brought on-line.
• Most of the user workstations were being used by staff.

Conclusion
A likely business extinction disaster was averted through the efforts of top-tier experts, a wide range of knowledge, and tight teamwork. Although in hindsight the crypto-ransomware virus penetration described here should have been shut down with up-to-date cyber security technology and recognized best practices, staff training, and well designed incident response procedures for data backup and keeping systems up to date with security patches, the fact is that government-sponsored cybercriminals from Russia, North Korea and elsewhere are relentless and represent an ongoing threat. If you do get hit by a ransomware incident, feel confident that Progent's roster of experts has substantial experience in crypto-ransomware virus defense, mitigation, and information systems restoration.

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

Additional Ransomware Protection Services Available from Progent
Progent offers businesses in Chatsworth a variety of online monitoring and security evaluation services designed to assist you to reduce your vulnerability to ransomware. These services include next-generation AI technology to uncover new variants of ransomware that can escape detection by legacy signature-based anti-virus solutions.

• ProSight Managed Service Packages: for Small to Mid-size Businesses
  Progent's ProSight Managed IT Service Plans make it practical for small and mid-size businesses to deploy Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) technology to achieve advanced IT resilience. Progent takes care of the necessary monitoring and maintenance for you, so your system expands smoothly without becoming an obstacle. For a low and predictable monthly subscription, Progent's experienced IT team can be your complete technology safety net. Basic plans include RMM, security, automatic monthly patching, and documentation. As your needs expand, you can add low-cost subscriptions to best-in-class solutions such as SaaS M365/Google Workspace backup, Multi-Factor Authentication, penetration testing, or WiFi management.

• ProSight LAN Watch: Server and Desktop Monitoring
  ProSight LAN Watch is Progent's server and desktop monitoring service that uses advanced remote monitoring and management techniques to help keep your network operating at peak levels by checking the state of critical computers that drive your information system. When ProSight LAN Watch uncovers an issue, an alarm is transmitted automatically to your designated IT management staff and your Progent engineering consultant so all looming issues can be resolved before they can disrupt your network. Learn more details about ProSight LAN Watch server and desktop remote monitoring consulting.

• ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM: Centralized RMM for Networks, Servers, and Desktops
  ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM software offers a centralized, cloud-based solution for managing your network, server, and desktop devices by providing tools for performing common time-consuming jobs. These can include health monitoring, patch management, automated remediation, endpoint configuration, backup and restore, anti-virus protection, remote access, built-in and custom scripts, asset inventory, endpoint profile reporting, and troubleshooting help. When ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM identifies a serious problem, it transmits an alarm to your specified IT management personnel and your assigned Progent technical consultant so that potential issues can be fixed before they impact your network. Find out more details about ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM server and desktop remote monitoring services.

• ProSight WAN Watch: Network Infrastructure Remote Monitoring and Management
  Progent's ProSight WAN Watch is an infrastructure management service that makes it easy and affordable for smaller organizations to diagram, monitor, optimize and troubleshoot their connectivity appliances such as routers, firewalls, and wireless controllers as well as servers, printers, endpoints and other networked devices. Using cutting-edge Remote Monitoring and Management technology, ProSight WAN Watch makes sure that infrastructure topology diagrams are kept current, captures and displays the configuration of virtually all devices connected to your network, monitors performance, and sends alerts when problems are detected. By automating complex management and troubleshooting processes, WAN Watch can cut hours off common tasks like making network diagrams, reconfiguring your network, locating appliances that need critical updates, or resolving performance problems. Find out more about ProSight WAN Watch infrastructure monitoring and management consulting.

• ProSight Reporting: Real-time Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Platforms
  ProSight Reporting is an expanding family of real-time management reporting utilities created to work with the industry's leading ticketing and network monitoring applications including ConnectWise Manage, ConnectWise Automate, Customer Thermometer, Auvik, and SentinelOne. ProSight Reporting incorporates Microsoft Graph and features color coding to highlight and contextualize key issues like inconsistent support follow-through or machines with missing patches. By identifying ticketing or network health concerns concisely and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting improves productivity, lowers management hassle, and saves money. For details, visit ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring applications.

• ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS): Managed Backup and Disaster Recovery Services
  Progent has partnered with advanced backup technology companies to create ProSight Data Protection Services, a family of management outsourcing plans that provide backup-as-a-service (BaaS). ProSight DPS products automate and monitor your data backup processes and enable transparent backup and fast restoration of critical files, apps, images, plus VMs. ProSight DPS helps your business protect against data loss caused by hardware breakdown, natural disasters, fire, cyber attacks such as ransomware, user error, malicious insiders, or software glitches. Managed services in the ProSight DPS portfolio include ProSight DPS Altaro VM Backup, ProSight 365 Total Backup (formerly Altaro 365 Backup), ProSight ECHO Backup based on Barracuda dedicated storage, and ProSight DPS MSP360 Hybrid Backup. Your Progent expert can help you to identify which of these managed backup services are best suited 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 incorporates the infrastructure of top information security companies to provide web-based control and comprehensive security for your email traffic. The hybrid structure of Email Guard combines a Cloud Protection Layer with an on-premises gateway device to offer advanced defense against spam, viruses, Denial of Service Attacks, Directory Harvest Attacks (DHAs), and other email-based malware. The cloud filter acts as a first line of defense and blocks most threats from reaching your security perimeter. This decreases your vulnerability to external attacks and saves network bandwidth and storage space. Email Guard's on-premises gateway device provides a further level of inspection for incoming email. For outbound email, the local security gateway provides anti-virus and anti-spam filtering, protection against data leaks, and email encryption. The on-premises gateway can also help Microsoft Exchange Server to track and protect internal email that stays within your security perimeter. For more details, visit ProSight Email Guard spam and content filtering.

• ProSight Duo Multi-Factor Authentication: Identity Validation, Endpoint Remediation, and Protected Single Sign-on
  Progent's Duo authentication services incorporate Cisco's Duo technology to defend against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables one-tap identity verification on Apple iOS, Android, and other personal devices. Using 2FA, whenever you sign into a secured online account and enter your password you are asked to confirm who you are via a device that only you possess and that is accessed using a separate network channel. A broad range of out-of-band devices can be utilized as this second means of ID validation such as an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware/software token, a landline phone, etc. You may designate several validation devices. To learn more about Duo two-factor identity authentication services, visit Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for access security.

• Outsourced/Co-managed Call Desk: Call Center Managed Services
  Progent's Support Center services enable your information technology team to outsource Help Desk services to Progent or split responsibilities for Service Desk support transparently between your in-house support resources and Progent's extensive roster of IT service technicians, engineers and subject matter experts (SMEs). Progent's Shared Help Desk Service provides a smooth extension of your internal support organization. Client access to the Help Desk, delivery of support, issue escalation, ticket generation and tracking, efficiency metrics, and maintenance of the service database are cohesive regardless of whether incidents are resolved by your internal support group, by Progent, or by a combination. Read more about Progent's outsourced/co-managed Help Desk services.

• Progent Active Protection Against Ransomware: AI-based Ransomware Detection and Cleanup
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection (EPP) solution that incorporates next generation behavior machine learning technology to guard endpoints and servers and VMs against modern malware assaults like ransomware and email phishing, which routinely get by legacy signature-based AV products. Progent Active Security Monitoring services safeguard on-premises and cloud resources and offers a unified platform to address the entire threat lifecycle including filtering, detection, containment, cleanup, and forensics. Top capabilities include one-click rollback with Windows VSS and automatic network-wide immunization against new threats. Read more about Progent's ransomware protection and cleanup services.

• ProSight IT Asset Management: Network Documentation Management
  Progent's ProSight IT Asset Management service is an IT infrastructure documentation management service that allows you to capture, maintain, find and safeguard data related to your IT infrastructure, processes, applications, and services. You can quickly locate passwords or IP addresses and be alerted about upcoming expirations of SSLs or warranties. By updating and managing your IT infrastructure documentation, you can eliminate up to 50% of time wasted looking for critical information about your IT network. ProSight IT Asset Management includes a common repository for storing and sharing all documents related to managing your business network such as standard operating procedures and self-service instructions. ProSight IT Asset Management also offers a high level of 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 knowledge you need when you need it. Learn more about Progent's ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Progent's 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 alternative for evaluating, validating, scheduling, implementing, and tracking updates to your ever-evolving information system. Besides maximizing the security and reliability of your IT network, Progent's patch management services free up time for your IT team to concentrate on line-of-business initiatives and tasks that derive the highest business value from your network. Find out more about Progent's software/firmware update management services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted VMs at Progent's World-class Data Center
  With ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small business can have its critical servers and applications hosted in a secure Tier III data center on a fast virtual host configured and managed by Progent's IT support professionals. With the ProSight Virtual Hosting service model, the client retains ownership of the data, the operating system software, and the applications. Since the environment is virtualized, it can be moved immediately to a different hardware environment without requiring a time-consuming and difficult configuration process. With ProSight Virtual Hosting, your business is not tied a single hosting provider. Learn more details about ProSight Virtual Hosting services.

• ProSight Active Security Monitoring: Endpoint Protection and Ransomware Defense
  ProSight Active Security Monitoring is an endpoint protection solution that incorporates SentinelOne's next generation behavior machine learning tools to defend physical and virtual endpoints against modern malware attacks such as ransomware and file-less exploits, which easily get by traditional signature-based AV tools. ProSight ASM safeguards on-premises and cloud resources and provides a unified platform to automate the entire malware attack progression including protection, detection, mitigation, cleanup, and forensics. Key capabilities include one-click rollback using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) and automatic system-wide immunization against new threats. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. Learn more about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring endpoint protection and ransomware defense.

• ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP): Physical and Virtual Endpoint Security and Microsoft Exchange Email Filtering
  ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP) managed services deliver economical in-depth protection for physical servers and virtual machines, desktops, mobile devices, and Exchange email. ProSight ESP uses contextual security and advanced heuristics for continuously monitoring and reacting to cyber assaults from all vectors. ProSight ESP provides two-way firewall protection, penetration alerts, device management, and web filtering via leading-edge tools incorporated within one agent managed from a single control. Progent's data protection and virtualization consultants can help you to plan and implement a ProSight ESP deployment that meets your organization's specific needs and that helps you achieve and demonstrate compliance with legal and industry information security standards. Progent will help you specify and implement security policies that ProSight ESP will enforce, and Progent will monitor your IT environment and respond to alarms that call for immediate attention. Progent's consultants can also assist your company to set up and verify a backup and restore solution like ProSight Data Protection Services so you can get back in business rapidly from a destructive security attack like ransomware. Read more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection unified physical and virtual endpoint protection and Exchange filtering.