Source: doublepulsar.com
Ransomware attacks continue to plague organizations worldwide, with many board members believing that paying the ransom guarantees a quick recovery. However, as highlighted by Kevin Beaumont, this is far from the truth. Large organizations often face prolonged downtime, operational disruptions, and even worsened security postures after paying ransoms.
You Should Know:
Key Ransomware Recovery Challenges
- No Guaranteed Decryption – Paying doesn’t always mean attackers provide a working decryption key.
- Data Integrity Risks – Decrypted files may still be corrupted or incomplete.
- Reinfection Risks – Attackers often leave backdoors for future attacks.
- Legal & Compliance Issues – Paying ransoms may violate sanctions or data protection laws.
Essential Ransomware Mitigation Steps
Preventive Measures (Linux/Windows)
- Backup Critical Data (Encrypted & Air-Gapped)
Linux: Encrypted backup with tar & GPG tar -czvf /backup/data.tar.gz /critical/data gpg --encrypt --recipient '[email protected]' /backup/data.tar.gz
Windows: Robocopy for secure backups robocopy C:\Data D:\Backup /MIR /Z /R:3 /W:5 /LOG:C:\backup.log
Disable RDP & SMBv1 (Common Attack Vectors)
Disable SMBv1 (Windows) Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName smb1protocol
Linux: Disable unnecessary services sudo systemctl disable smbd nmbd
Incident Response Commands
- Identify Ransomware Processes (Linux)
ps aux | grep -E 'crypt|lock|ransom'
- Isolate Infected Systems (Windows)
Stop-Computer -Force -ComputerName "INFECTED-PC"
Forensic Analysis
- Check for Persistence (Linux)
crontab -l ls -la /etc/systemd/system/
- Windows Registry Check
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
What Undercode Say
Paying ransomware attackers is never a guaranteed solution. Organizations must focus on proactive defense:
– Immutable Backups (AWS S3 Object Lock, Veeam)
– Network Segmentation (Zero Trust Architecture)
– EDR/XDR Deployment (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne)
– Regular Penetration Testing
Run nmap scan for vulnerabilities nmap -sV --script vuln TARGET_IP
Expected Output: A resilient security posture with verified recovery procedures, minimizing reliance on ransom payments.
Prediction: Ransomware groups will increasingly target cloud environments, demanding stricter IAM policies and multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforcement.
References:
Reported By: Kevin Beaumont – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
