Ransomware Readiness Assessment

You’re going to get compromised. Are you prepared?

“…Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower (Remarks at the National Defense Executive Reserve Conference, 11/14/57)
A well-established and rehearsed playbook can significantly reduce the cost, severity and duration of a ransomware attack; accelerate recovery activities; and create a more resilient organization.

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Ransomware is different and requires a different playbook to respond efficiently and effectively. Traditional incident response plans often lack the specifics required to respond to and recover from a ransomware attack.

Being well-prepared gives you and your organization a significant advantage in preventing or responding to a ransomware attack. However, ransomware requires a distinctive set of cyber response and resilience capabilities, unlike those for other types of cyberattacks.

Because ransomware presents unique challenges, many organizations are simply unprepared or unable to respond to and recover from a ransomware attack, or even assess its full impact. BPM ransomware specialists can help you gauge your organization’s current state of readiness to deal with evolving ransomware threats and introduce the resources you need to close any gaps.

The three keys to creating your successful ransomware plan.

Developing an effective ransomware plan requires assessing your organization’s ability to respond to and recover from a ransomware attack in three key areas. Our team can help you to:

  • Understand the risk profile and current state of the attack surface area to identify likely paths that could lead to a ransomware attack.
  • Look for indicators of compromise (IOCs) that could be evidence of a current or past breach, giving you a clear understanding of susceptibility to an attack.
  • Uncover gaps in existing incident response plans and help develop enhanced or new playbooks that clearly define the various response activities and the associated roles and responsibilities needed to deal effectively with a ransomware attack.

Ransomware challenges we consider in developing your plan.

Because a ransomware attack is unequaled, we’ve found that many organizations need deeper insight into the unique nature of a ransomware response plan.

Incident response – Traditional incident response plans typically lack essential steps and designated roles required to respond effectively to ransomware attacks, such as employing digital currency brokers, coordinating with law enforcement, and establishing public relations strategies to reassure various audiences and stakeholders and protect your brand and reputation.

Recovery – Recovery from a ransomware attack differs substantially from traditional cyber incident recovery, often driven by the ransomware payment strategy. Recovery strategies need to limit the blast radius and impact and be proactive and flexible to address evolving threats.

The crucial ransomware playbook.

Any organization — a business, government entity or institution, whatever its size — needs a ransomware-specific playbook that addresses the urgent response and recovery needs of a ransomware attack.

Our playbook development focuses on the key aspects of a ransomware attack and includes why, when and how to:

  • Understand the threat actor’s reputation.
  • Engage outside counsel.
  • Build a safe environment to test and recover.
  • Authorize contact with the attacker and begin negotiations.
  • Notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies and regulators in the case of the loss of sensitive or regulated data.
  • Create a well-thought-out communication plan for shareholders, staff, the media and other stakeholders.