Ransomware Response & Investigation
Responding to Ransomware Incidents with Investigation, Containment and Clarity.
Ransomware Response & Investigation.
A ransomware incident can disrupt operations, affect critical systems and create uncertainty around how the compromise occurred, what systems were affected and whether information was accessed or transferred.
Key Incident Indicators
Sudden encryption or inaccessibility of business files
Ransom notes or demands appearing across affected systems
Unusual spikes in file modification or renaming activity
Detection of suspicious processes or malicious executables
Unexpected disabling of security tools or backup services
Unusual privileged account activity or lateral movement
Suspicious remote access or authentication events
Evidence of data staging or unauthorised outbound transfers
Unexplained disruption to critical business applications or infrastructure
Key Challenges & Stellar Forensic Interventions
Responding Quickly to an Active Ransomware Incident
Ransomware can spread across connected systems and disrupt business operations rapidly. Organisations may need to prioritise containment while preserving information that may be relevant to understanding the incident.
Understanding How the Attack Started
Following a ransomware incident, organisations may need to determine how attackers initially gained access and what activity occurred before encryption or disruption.
Determining the Scope of Compromise
Ransomware may affect multiple endpoints, servers, accounts, applications and network segments. Understanding the extent of compromise can require correlation across different evidence sources.
Investigating Potential Data Access or Exfiltration
Some ransomware incidents may involve the unauthorised access or transfer of information before systems are encrypted or disrupted.
Identifying Persistence and Related Attacker Activity
Attackers may establish access or perform additional activity before deploying ransomware. Understanding this activity can help organisations assess the incident and inform containment and remediation decisions.