Ransomware Data Recovery: Strategies to Prevent and Restore Your Data

2021 recorded the peak of ransomware attacks of 623.3 million incidents globally. Even though this number decreased in 2022, reports show that ransomware attacks resurged in early 2023, with the United States as the top targeted country.

These invasions pose a grave threat, causing chaos for individuals and organizations. The repercussions are severe, resulting in financial losses, operational disturbances, and tarnished reputations. For this reason, a robust ransomware recovery plan is essential to mitigate these risks.

Uncover the secrets to recovering from ransomware and explore proven strategies to safeguard your valuable data.

What Is a Ransomware Attack?

According to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), ransomware is malicious software that holds your files and systems hostage by encrypting them. In exchange for unlocking your information, cybercriminals demand a ransom.

The impact of ransomware can cause disturbances to business operations and leave organizations without vital data. These attacks bring economic and reputational challenges, affecting companies of all sizes during the initial disruption and recovery stages.

How to Build an Effective Ransomware Data Recovery Strategy

The rising menace of ransomware calls for proactive steps to protect your valuable data, and here’s where data recovery strategy comes in as a crucial element in the battle against these malicious attacks.

It consists of a few vital components you must equip yourself with to regain your precious files and resume operations smoothly.

Ransomware Recovery Plan

Unfortunately, no one is immune to ransomware, and attacks are predicted to strike every 2 seconds by 2031. So not if, but when you get hit, you must act fast, and the only way to do this right is by having a recovery plan in place.

Unlock the path to fast recovery with these actionable measures:

Prompt Initial Response

Response time is critical to limit the effect of a ransomware attack. As the initial step, immediately disconnect all vulnerable devices from your network to halt the propagation of the attack and prevent further damage.

Once done, If required, register the attack by reaching the appropriate authorities. Contact the local police or report through trusted platforms like On Guard Online.

Your prompt action aids in identifying the attacker’s modus operandi and target selection process, ultimately preventing other organizations from succumbing to the same ransomware invasion.

Immutable Backups

One of the most effective lines of defense against ransomware attacks is restoring your data from an immutable backup that is unchangeable and resistant to modification.

In the event of ransomware, these backups provide a clean and secure copy of your files, allowing you to bypass the negotiation with cyber criminals and pay the ransom.

When selecting a backup solution, evaluate factors like the amount of data requiring backup, desired backup frequency, and budget constraints. Options include manual backups and automated cloud-based services to ensure you find the right fit.

Windows System Restore

Windows System Restore is an integrated feature that empowers you to roll back your system to a previous state, encompassing files, programs, and settings.

It can help recover files encrypted by ransomware by bringing them to a point before the encryption. Regrettably, it doesn’t recover personal files and may not work if the ransomware has infected your computer’s restore points.

Nonetheless, understanding and utilizing Windows System Restore can enhance recovery from ransomware and increase the likelihood of retrieving paramount documents.

Decryption Tools

Ransomware decryption tools aim to decode files encrypted by ransomware, allowing users to regain access to their valuable data without meeting the financial demands of the attackers.

It’s worth noting that as cybercriminals continually develop new ransomware types, a suitable decryption tool may not always be available.

Regardless, you can leverage these instruments to enhance your ransomware data recovery plan by exercising caution, exploring reliable sources, and staying informed.

Techniques to Prevent Ransomware

Although you can’t protect yourself 100% from a ransomware attack, there are ways to reduce its risk. These include the following approaches.

1. Achieve Immutability. Achieving immutable storage is the best way to protect and recover from ransomware, utilizing methods such as WORM technology, object storage, or vendor-created immutability features.
2. Keep Regular Backups. Maintaining up-to-date copies enables a swift recovery and reduces the impact of a ransomware attack without acceding to the attackers’ demands.
3. Secure Data Offsite. Duplicating valuable information and storing them offline or offsite ensures restoration even if on-site backups are compromised.
4. Establish Security Standards. Implementing measures, such as antivirus software and firewalls, creates multiple layers of protection that help detect and block ransomware threats.
5. Foster Phishing Awareness. Educating employees, contractors, and vendors about phishing emails and other social engineering techniques reduces the risk of opening infected files.
6. Determine Your Endpoints. Pinpointing the sources from which ransomware attacks may originate allows you to prioritize and protect critical endpoints accordingly.

Ransomware Protection With Ootbi by Object First

While a recovery plan and prevention techniques are crucial, you cannot overstate the importance of backups when dealing with ransomware attacks.

Ransomware attacks often target backups, making them a prime focus for protection. That’s why partnering with an immutable backup provider that prioritizes security and resilience and implementing additional forms of protection, such as a 3-2-1 backup strategy, is fundamental.

By combining Veeam’s robust solutions with Ootbi by Object First’s storage capabilities, businesses can achieve ransomware-proof backups and maintain control over their critical data, regardless of the cyber threats they face.

Don’t Let Ransomware Hold You Hostage

Ransomware attacks are a significant danger, causing unbearable consequences worldwide. Therefore, a robust ransomware data recovery plan is a must to protect your valuable data.

In a ransomware incident, immutable backups are the most effective line of defense. They provide a clean and secure copy of your files, allowing you to bypass the negotiation with cyber criminals and pay the ransom.

Additionally, preventive measures like regular backups, offsite data storage, security standards, phishing awareness, and endpoint protection can significantly reduce the risk of their occurrence.

Contact us to achieve a ransomware-proof backup and maintain control over your critical data!

FAQ

What Is a Ransomware Attack?

A ransomware attack is a type of cyberattack where malicious software encrypts files on a device, rendering them inaccessible until a ransom is paid.

Why Is Ransomware Recovery Significant?

Ransomware recovery is crucial because it allows organizations to regain access to their encrypted files and resume normal operations, minimizing financial losses and reputational damage.

What Is the Best Solution to Ransomware?

Implementing immutability backups because they ensure that clean and secure copies of files are available for restoration, eliminating the need to pay the ransom.

How to Prevent Ransomware?

To prevent ransomware, keep regular backups, secure data offsite, establish security standards, foster phishing awareness, and identify and protect critical endpoints.

How Long Does Ransomware Recovery Take?

Recovering from ransomware can vary depending on the complexity of the attack and the size of the affected systems and data, ranging from hours to days or even longer in more severe cases.

Does Ransomware Steal Data or Only Lock It?

Ransomware can encrypt files and exfiltrate data, meaning it steals and holds files hostage while threatening to publish or sell them unless a victim pays the ransom.