Irvine 24x7 Emergency Crypto-Ransomware
Infection Damage Assessment and Remediation Consultants

Ransomware : Your Worst IT Disaster
Ransomware has become a modern cyberplague that presents an existential danger for businesses vulnerable to an assault. Multiple generations of ransomware like the CrySIS, Fusob, Locky, SamSam and MongoLock cryptoworms have been replicating for a long time and still inflict damage. More recent versions of crypto-ransomware such as Ryuk, Maze, Sodinokibi, DopplePaymer, LockBit or Nephilim, along with more as yet unnamed newcomers, not only encrypt online data files but also infect all accessible system protection mechanisms. Data replicated to cloud environments can also be encrypted. In a poorly architected environment, it can render any recovery useless and basically sets the datacenter back to zero.

Recovering programs and data after a crypto-ransomware outage becomes a sprint against time as the victim struggles to stop lateral movement, clear the ransomware, and resume mission-critical operations. Because ransomware takes time to replicate, penetrations are often sprung during nights and weekends, when attacks are likely to take longer to identify. This multiplies the difficulty of rapidly marshalling and coordinating a qualified mitigation team.

Progent has a range of solutions for securing businesses from ransomware attacks. These include user education to help recognize and avoid phishing attempts, ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) for remote monitoring and management, in addition to setup and configuration of the latest generation security appliances with artificial intelligence capabilities from SentinelOne to detect and quarantine zero-day cyber attacks intelligently. Progent also provides the assistance of veteran ransomware recovery engineers with the track record and commitment to re-deploy a breached environment as quickly as possible.

Progent's Ransomware Recovery Support Services
Following a crypto-ransomware penetration, paying the ransom in cryptocurrency does not ensure that criminal gangs will return the needed codes to unencrypt any or all of your data. Kaspersky Labs estimated that seventeen percent of ransomware victims never recovered their information even after having sent off the ransom, resulting in more losses. The gamble is also costly. Ryuk ransoms are commonly a few hundred thousand dollars. For larger organizations, the ransom demand can be in the millions of dollars. The other path is to setup from scratch the key parts of your Information Technology environment. Absent the availability of full system backups, this requires a wide range of IT skills, well-coordinated project management, and the willingness to work 24x7 until the recovery project is over.

For twenty years, Progent has provided expert Information Technology services for companies throughout the US and has earned Microsoft's Partnership certification in the Datacenter and Cloud Productivity competencies. Progent's group of subject matter experts includes consultants who have earned top certifications in important technologies including Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and major distributions of Linux. Progent's security specialists have garnered internationally-renowned certifications including CISA, CISSP, ISACA CRISC, GIAC, and CMMC 2.0. (See Progent's certifications). Progent also has expertise in financial systems and ERP application software. This breadth of experience gives Progent the capability to efficiently identify important systems and consolidate the surviving pieces of your network system after a crypto-ransomware penetration and rebuild them into a functioning system.

Progent's ransomware team of experts deploys best of breed project management systems to orchestrate the complex recovery process. Progent appreciates the importance of working rapidly and in concert with a customer's management and IT resources to assign priority to tasks and to put the most important systems back on line as fast as possible.

Client Case Study: A Successful Ransomware Attack Recovery
A business escalated to Progent after their network was attacked by the Ryuk crypto-ransomware. Ryuk is believed to have been developed by North Korean government sponsored hackers, possibly adopting algorithms leaked from the U.S. National Security Agency. Ryuk goes after specific organizations with little ability to sustain disruption and is one of the most profitable examples of ransomware. Headline organizations include Data Resolution, a California-based information warehousing and cloud computing firm, and the Chicago Tribune. Progent's client is a regional manufacturing business headquartered in the Chicago metro area with about 500 staff members. The Ryuk attack had disabled all company operations and manufacturing processes. The majority of the client's system backups had been directly accessible at the time of the attack and were encrypted. The client was taking steps for paying the ransom (in excess of $200,000) and wishfully thinking for good luck, but ultimately utilized Progent.

Progent worked with the client to rapidly identify and assign priority to the key elements that needed to be restored in order to continue company operations:

• Active Directory (AD)
• E-Mail
• MRP System

In less than 48 hours, Progent was able to recover Active Directory to its pre-virus state. Progent then assisted with rebuilding and hard drive recovery of critical systems. All Microsoft Exchange Server data and attributes were intact, which facilitated the restore of Exchange. Progent was able to locate intact OST files (Outlook Off-Line Folder Files) on staff desktop computers in order to recover email data. A recent off-line backup of the businesses accounting systems made them able to return these required applications back on-line. Although a lot of work remained to recover fully from the Ryuk event, critical services were returned to operations rapidly:

During the following month critical milestones in the restoration project were achieved through close cooperation between Progent consultants and the client:

• Self-hosted web applications were brought back up without losing any data.
• The MailStore Exchange Server with over 4 million historical emails was brought on-line and accessible to users.
• CRM/Orders/Invoices/AP/Accounts Receivables/Inventory capabilities were 100% recovered.
• A new Palo Alto 850 security appliance was installed and configured.
• Most of the user PCs were functioning as before the incident.

Conclusion
A possible business-killing catastrophe was averted due to results-oriented professionals, a broad spectrum of IT skills, and close teamwork. Although in analyzing the event afterwards the ransomware incident described here could have been prevented with up-to-date cyber security technology solutions and NIST Cybersecurity Framework or ISO/IEC 27001 best practices, staff training, and properly executed security procedures for information protection and applying software patches, the reality is that state-sponsored cyber criminals from Russia, North Korea and elsewhere are tireless and are not going away. If you do get hit by a ransomware attack, remember that Progent's roster of professionals has substantial experience in ransomware virus defense, cleanup, and information systems restoration.

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

Additional Ransomware Protection Services Offered by Progent
Progent can provide companies in Irvine a variety of remote monitoring and security assessment services designed to help you to reduce your vulnerability to ransomware. These services incorporate next-generation artificial intelligence capability to detect zero-day strains of ransomware that are able to escape detection by traditional signature-based anti-virus products.

• ProSight Managed Service Plans: 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 create leading-edge network resilience. Progent takes care of the daily monitoring and maintenance for you, so your network expands smoothly without holding you back. For an affordable and predictable monthly price, Progent's full-service IT team can be your complete technology safety net. Entry-level packages include remote monitoring and management (RMM), cybersecurity, monthly patching, and reporting. As your needs grow, you can add low-cost subscriptions to advanced options such as SaaS M365/Google Workspace backup and restore, 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 service that incorporates state-of-the-art remote monitoring and management technology to help keep your IT system operating efficiently by checking the health of vital computers that drive your information system. When ProSight LAN Watch uncovers a problem, an alarm is sent immediately to your specified IT management personnel and your Progent engineering consultant so any looming problems can be addressed before they have a chance to disrupt productivity. Learn more 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 unified, cloud-based platform for monitoring and managing your network, server, and desktop devices by offering an environment for streamlining common time-consuming tasks. These include health monitoring, patch management, automated repairs, endpoint deployment, backup and restore, anti-virus defense, remote access, built-in and custom scripts, asset inventory, endpoint profile reporting, and troubleshooting help. If ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM spots a serious issue, it sends an alarm to your specified IT management personnel and your assigned Progent consultant so potential issues can be taken care of before they impact productivity. Learn more about ProSight LAN Watch with NinjaOne RMM server and desktop remote monitoring services.

• ProSight WAN Watch: 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 organizations to map out, track, reconfigure and debug their networking hardware like routers and switches, firewalls, and wireless controllers as well as servers, printers, client computers and other networked devices. Using state-of-the-art Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) technology, WAN Watch ensures that infrastructure topology maps are kept updated, captures and manages the configuration information of virtually all devices connected to your network, tracks performance, and generates notices when potential issues are discovered. By automating time-consuming network management activities, ProSight WAN Watch can knock hours off ordinary tasks like making network diagrams, reconfiguring your network, finding devices that require important software patches, or resolving performance issues. Learn more about ProSight WAN Watch network infrastructure monitoring and management consulting.

• ProSight Reporting: Real-time Reporting for Ticketing and Network Monitoring Platforms
  ProSight Reporting is a growing line of real-time reporting plug-ins created to integrate with the top ticketing and remote network monitoring programs including ConnectWise Manage, ConnectWise Automate, Customer Thermometer, Auvik, and SentinelOne. ProSight Reporting uses Microsoft Graph and features color coding to surface and contextualize critical issues like spotty support follow-up or endpoints with out-of-date AVs. By exposing ticketing or network health concerns clearly and in near-real time, ProSight Reporting enhances network value, lowers management overhead, and saves money. For more information, see ProSight Reporting for ticketing and network monitoring platforms.

• ProSight Data Protection Services: Backup and Disaster Recovery Services
  Progent has partnered with advanced backup software companies to create ProSight Data Protection Services, a selection of offerings that deliver backup-as-a-service (BaaS). ProSight DPS products automate and monitor your data backup processes and enable non-disruptive backup and fast restoration of vital files/folders, applications, system images, plus virtual machines. ProSight DPS helps your business recover from data loss resulting from equipment breakdown, natural disasters, fire, malware such as ransomware, human error, ill-intentioned employees, or application bugs. Managed services in the ProSight Data Protection Services 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 Cloud and On-prem Backup. Your Progent consultant can assist you to identify which of these fully managed services are most appropriate 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 uses the technology of top information security vendors to deliver web-based control and comprehensive security for your inbound and outbound email. The hybrid architecture of Progent's Email Guard integrates a Cloud Protection Layer with a local security gateway appliance to provide complete protection against spam, viruses, Denial of Service Attacks, Directory Harvest Attacks (DHAs), and other email-borne malware. Email Guard's cloud filter acts as a first line of defense and keeps most unwanted email from reaching your security perimeter. This reduces your vulnerability to inbound threats and saves system bandwidth and storage. Email Guard's onsite security gateway device provides a deeper level of inspection for incoming email. For outbound email, the on-premises gateway provides AV and anti-spam protection, policy-based Data Loss Prevention, and email encryption. The onsite security gateway can also assist Exchange Server to track and safeguard internal email traffic that stays within your security perimeter. For more details, visit Email Guard spam filtering and data leakage protection.

• ProSight Duo Multi-Factor Authentication: Identity Validation, Endpoint Policy Enforcement, and Protected Single Sign-on
  Progent's Duo MFA managed services utilize Cisco's Duo technology to protect against compromised passwords by using two-factor authentication (2FA). Duo enables single-tap identity verification on Apple iOS, Android, and other personal devices. With Duo 2FA, whenever you log into a protected online account and enter your password you are requested to verify who you are on a unit that only you have and that is accessed using a different ("out-of-band") network channel. A wide selection of out-of-band devices can be used as this added means of authentication such as an iPhone or Android or wearable, a hardware token, a landline telephone, etc. You may designate multiple verification devices. To find out more about Duo two-factor identity authentication services, go to Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services.

• Outsourced/Co-managed Call Center: Call Center Managed Services
  Progent's Support Center services allow your information technology team to outsource Call Center services to Progent or divide responsibilities for Service Desk support transparently between your in-house network support staff and Progent's extensive roster of certified IT service technicians, engineers and subject matter experts. Progent's Co-managed Help Desk Service provides a seamless supplement to your in-house IT support resources. Client interaction with the Help Desk, delivery of technical assistance, escalation, ticket generation and updates, efficiency metrics, and management of the support database are consistent regardless of whether issues are resolved by your corporate support group, by Progent's team, or both. Find out more about Progent's outsourced/shared Call Desk services.

• Progent Active Protection Against Ransomware: Machine Learning-based Ransomware Identification and Remediation
  Progent's Active Defense Against Ransomware is an endpoint protection service that incorporates cutting edge behavior analysis tools to defend endpoints and servers and VMs against new malware attacks like ransomware and file-less exploits, which routinely escape legacy signature-based AV products. Progent Active Security Monitoring services protect local and cloud-based resources and provides a unified platform to manage the entire threat lifecycle including filtering, identification, mitigation, remediation, and forensics. Key capabilities include one-click rollback with Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) and automatic network-wide immunization against newly discovered threats. Read more about Progent's ransomware defense and recovery services.

• ProSight IT Asset Management: Network Documentation Management
  Progent's ProSight IT Asset Management service is a cloud-based IT documentation management service that makes it easy to capture, maintain, retrieve and protect information related to your network infrastructure, procedures, business apps, and services. You can quickly find passwords or serial numbers and be alerted automatically about impending expirations of SSLs ,domains or warranties. By cleaning up and organizing your network documentation, you can save up to 50% of time thrown away searching for critical information about your network. ProSight IT Asset Management features a centralized location for storing and collaborating on all documents required for managing your business network such as standard operating procedures and How-To's. ProSight IT Asset Management also offers a high level of automation for collecting and relating IT data. Whether you're planning enhancements, performing maintenance, or reacting to an emergency, ProSight IT Asset Management delivers the knowledge you require the instant you need it. Read more about ProSight IT Asset Management service.

• Progent's Patch Management: Patch Management Services
  Progent's support services for software and firmware patch management offer businesses of any size a flexible and affordable alternative for assessing, testing, scheduling, applying, and documenting software and firmware updates to your ever-evolving information system. Besides optimizing the security and functionality of your computer network, Progent's patch management services allow your in-house IT staff to concentrate on line-of-business initiatives and activities that deliver the highest business value from your network. Learn more about Progent's software/firmware update management services.

• ProSight Virtual Hosting: Hosted VMs at Progent's World-class Data Center
  With Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting service, a small organization can have its key servers and applications hosted in a protected Tier III data center on a fast virtual host set up and managed by Progent's IT support experts. Under Progent's ProSight Virtual Hosting service model, the client retains ownership of the data, the OS platforms, and the applications. Since the system is virtualized, it can be moved easily to a different hardware solution without a lengthy and technically risky 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 (ASM) is an endpoint protection solution that utilizes SentinelOne's next generation behavior-based machine learning technology to guard physical and virtual endpoints against modern malware attacks such as ransomware and email phishing, which easily get by legacy signature-matching AV products. ProSight Active Security Monitoring protects local and cloud-based resources and offers a unified platform to automate the complete malware attack progression including protection, detection, containment, cleanup, and forensics. Top capabilities include one-click rollback using Windows VSS and real-time system-wide immunization against newly discovered attacks. Progent is a SentinelOne Partner, reseller, and integrator. Read more about Progent's ProSight Active Security Monitoring (ASM) next-generation endpoint protection and ransomware recovery.

• ProSight Enhanced Security Protection: Endpoint Security and Exchange Email Filtering
  Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection services deliver economical multi-layer protection for physical servers and virtual machines, desktops, mobile devices, and Exchange email. ProSight ESP uses contextual security and advanced machine learning for continuously monitoring and responding to cyber assaults from all attack vectors. ProSight ESP delivers two-way firewall protection, penetration alerts, endpoint management, and web filtering through cutting-edge tools packaged within a single agent managed from a unified console. Progent's security and virtualization consultants can assist your business to design and implement a ProSight ESP environment that addresses your organization's specific needs and that helps you demonstrate compliance with government and industry information protection standards. Progent will help you define and configure policies that ProSight ESP will manage, and Progent will monitor your IT environment and respond to alarms that require urgent attention. Progent can also help you to install and verify a backup and restore system such as ProSight Data Protection Services (DPS) so you can get back in business rapidly from a destructive security attack like ransomware. Learn more about Progent's ProSight Enhanced Security Protection (ESP) unified physical and virtual endpoint protection and Exchange email filtering.