Ransomware attacks often cause panic in companies. In most cases, normal work is no longer possible and large payments are required. Our teams regularly support customers during ongoing attacks. The question that arises time and again is: “Should we pay the ransom to have our IT system released again?” Trufflepig Forensics" technical managing director Christian Müller provides the answer.
Note: If your company is currently being attacked with ransomware, a quick response is important. In this case, call us directly on our emergency telephone! We support companies affected by ransomware attacks on an almost daily basis and know the best course of action from practical experience. We strongly advise against contacting the attackers yourself. Doing so often increases the damage.
In the field of IT security, ransomware attacks are one of the greatest threats to companies. But what exactly is ransomware? Ransomware is malicious software (malware) that aims to prevent access to its own systems or data or to encrypt them. The attackers then demand a ransom from the victims in order to release the data or system access again. Possible victims can be both private individuals and companies. The consequences range from the loss of confidential data, production stoppages, company IT failures and financial losses to a significant loss of reputation and even the threat to survival. To end the attack as quickly as possible, victims are often willing to pay large sums of money to put an end to their suffering. This often seems to be the faster and more convenient option, but paying the demanded ransom does not necessarily mean that the attack will stop. Read here which companies are affected, what types of ransomware there are and how you can protect yourself.
The general recommendation is not to give in under any circumstances. After all, making a payment finances the attackers" business model and helps to enable them to continue their criminal activities. At the same time, a ransom payment always means a financial setback for companies, regardless of their size. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the systems will actually be released again after the payment. Despite this clear recommendation, there are situations in which companies face existential challenges. For many firms, access to their data is crucial to the continuation of their business operations. The willingness of the affected company to pay is therefore often directly linked to its survival. The advantage of paying in such a case is that the data can be restored, enabling a speedy resumption of business processes. However, Müller warns against a false sense of security here: “You should not rely on the attacker being out of the network afterwards. You should definitely rebuild the IT systems from scratch, otherwise the attackers will come back the same way next time.”
An important aspect when deciding whether or not to pay is ensuring data integrity. Highly professional ransomware groups often operate undetected in the system for months, deliberately destroying backups and analyzing the company"s processes. In this context, Müller urges caution: “It"s important to note that you can"t blindly rely on a single system backup. It"s possible that the attacker is already in there too.” If you decide to pay, Müller emphasizes the importance of a certain degree of certainty regarding success: “If you pay for this, you should be reasonably sure that it will work.” Professional groups have their own “customer support” that specializes in negotiating the ransom. Despite their unscrupulous activity, these negotiators often appear friendly and helpful, since their ultimate goal is to make a financial profit – and this apparent helpfulness also easily tempts victims to believe the attackers" words. The decision on whether to pay a ransom in the event of a ransomware attack remains a matter of weighing up the company"s livelihood against the ethical implications of financing criminal activity. Do you want to be prepared and have a team of experts at your side in an emergency? Make an appointment today [without obligation]! (https://trufflepig-forensics.de/en-de/contact/)
