In 2023, there has been an explosion of new or highly advanced ransomware attacks, leaving organizations exposed to destruction and theft like never before. We’ve even seen ransomware capable of disabling antimalware and automated scans for a seamless way into networks.
Although we still recommend using antimalware and running scans, we have to recognize they’re no longer as safe as they once were. Below, we cover what your next best options are for ransomware data recovery as you navigate today’s evolved cyber landscape.
How Does Ransomware Encrypt Data?
Before we discuss the best methods for ransomware data recovery, it’s important to understand how ransomware can encrypt your data in the first place, especially given that 76% of cyber attacks involve data encryption.
There are two main ways hackers can encrypt data with ransomware:
Device ransomware encryption. Targeting your organization’s storage system is one way ransomware might encrypt your data. Encrypting your data yourself doesn’t stop this method since the system has already been compromised, bypassing the need to scan your files.
File ransomware encryption. Your computer's entire contents are encrypted in the event of this ransomware, making it impossible to access them until they are decrypted.
3 Techniques for Restoring Files After a Ransomware Attack
1. Utilize Data Backups
Data backups offer a crucial layer of defense. In the event of ransomware, cloud backups help avoid significant downtime or the need to pay a ransom, as your data will be available to you both onsite and offsite.
2. Use a Decryption Tool
A decryption tool is software that’s designed to unlock files encrypted by ransomware. By utilizing the encryption key or password that was used to lock the files in the first place, the tool can decrypt the files to restore them to their initial state.
3. Restore Your Systems
Doing a thorough wipe of all storage devices is one of the most direct methods to ensure that malware or ransomware has been eliminated from your system.
Before doing so, you should take into account the possibility that an infection may have been in your system for some time before being caught. Therefore, you should record the date that you caught the attack and any other details you have learned about the ransomware. This allows you to determine the right course of action for restoring your systems and protecting them from the same type of ransomware moving forward.
While doing a full system restore seems nerve-wracking, if you’ve kept your data backed up in a separate location—and it’s the most updated version of your data—then you should be able to get back up and running again sooner rather than later.
The Most Reliable Ransomware Data Recovery Solution
Although the techniques above are reliable ransomware solutions for recovering encrypted files, there’s a less stressful method to be mentioned: working with a credible team of cyber security professionals.
How a Cyber Security Team Can Help You Recover Your Data and Protect It Going Forward
Ransomware Recovery as a Service
When backups are compromised by ransomware, a company-wide emergency results. A Ransomware Recovery as a Service (RRaaS) team can handle the complexity of ransomware-encrypted data recovery.
While you focus on your operations, your cyber security will be safe in the hands of an expert RRaaS team who knows what to do.
Immutable Backups
Today's advanced ransomware targets backups, altering or erasing them entirely, which can lead to devastating results.
An elite team of cyber security professionals can help swiftly restore your data to the most recent clean state via an immutable file system, which naturally blocks illegal access or destruction of backups.
Check Every Box of Your Ransomware Data Recovery Process
While the ever-evolving landscape of ransomware attacks isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and the process of protecting your organization at every point can be overwhelming, we’re here to help you further.
Get your free copy of our Ransomware Recovery Checklist to check every box during your ransomware data recovery process and best protect your organization moving forward.
FAQs
They include.
- Check for your backups in Google Drive, OneDrive, or Hard Drives.
- Use a file recovery software.
- System Restore.
- Use a decryption tool.
Types of Ransomware Encryption Methods
There are two encryption methods: symmetric and asymmetric. They differ in levels of complexity and security. Hackers rarely use symmetric encryption since, even though it is faster, it's more vulnerable as well.
Which of the following is the best way to recovery from a ransomware attack? ›
5 Steps for Ransomware Data Recovery
- Implement Your Incident Response (IR) Plan. An effective response is predicated on having a plan. ...
- Determine Attack Style and Isolate Systems. ...
- Back Up, Back Up, Back Up! ...
- Use Data Recovery Software or Decryption Tools. ...
- Add Additional Security.
3 Techniques for Restoring Files After a Ransomware Attack
- Utilize Data Backups. Data backups offer a crucial layer of defense. ...
- Use a Decryption Tool. A decryption tool is software that's designed to unlock files encrypted by ransomware. ...
- Restore Your Systems.
A backup can help you recover your encrypted data in case of a ransomware attack, a hard drive failure, or a lost key. However, you need to make sure that your backup is also encrypted and that you have the key to decrypt it. Otherwise, you may expose your data to unauthorized access or corruption.
Can you decrypt online ransomware? ›
This can be done using antivirus software or following the instructions provided by other tools like the No More Ransom Project. In conclusion, decrypting and recovering files encrypted by ransomware can be very technical, and there is no guarantee of success.
What are the four 3 most secured encryption techniques? ›
There are different types of encryption techniques, but the following three are the most common and widely used: Symmetric Encryption, Asymmetric Encryption, and Hashing.
What techniques does ransomware use? ›
Modern ransomware, like WannaCry, use hybrid techniques that merge symmetric and asymmetric encryption. Symmetric ciphers, such as AES, rapidly encrypt files without needing an internet connection, but the public key of a command and control server concealed on the dark web is embedded in the ransomware's executable.
How do you recover from a ransomware attack? ›
It takes for organizations to recover from a ransomware attack varies widely and largely depends on what systems and data have been compromised. For single ransomware recovery files or databases, restores can be near-instant with a modern data management solution.
Can you restore from backup after ransomware attack? ›
Cybercriminals use these malicious attacks to encrypt an organization's data and systems, holding them hostage and demanding a ransom for the encryption key. In the best case scenario, you can quickly restore from backups, but it's a harrowing experience even when you're well prepared.
Keep at least one backup offsite or offline
Aside from actually implementing backups, the most important aspect of protecting backups from ransomware is making sure they can't be breached. Keeping a backup offline or physically offsite is one of the best ways to ensure there's no way ransomware can touch them.
What encryption techniques does ransomware use? ›
Once the ransomware has gained access to a device, it will encrypt the victim's files using a randomly generated symmetric key. The public key then encrypts the symmetric key. These keys often use Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-256, which is named so because it is 256 bits in key length.
Which of the following is the most effective way against encryption ransomware? ›
Maintain Backups
Backing up important data is the single most effective way of recovering from a ransomware infection. There are some things to consider, however. Your backup files should be appropriately protected and stored offline or out-of-band so they can't be targeted by attackers.
What are some ways to respond to ransomware? ›
Use these steps to eradicate the threat and recover damaged resources.
- Step 1: Verify your backups. ...
- Step 2: Add indicators. ...
- Step 3: Reset compromised users. ...
- Step 4: Isolate attacker control points. ...
- Step 5: Remove malware. ...
- Step 6: Recover files on a cleaned device. ...
- Step 7: Recover files in OneDrive for Business.
How to Remove Encrypt Contents to Secure Data. You can remove file system encryption by unchecking the "Encrypt Contents to Secure Data" feature. Yes, this only works for the file system, not for a specific file. If you want to decrypt files, the certificate or password is indispensable.
Can an encrypted file be opened again? ›
In most cases, you can open an encrypted file with a password. Some tools will open the file right away if the right user is logged in. However, if the file becomes damaged, there are a few things you can do: Make sure you are using the right software to open the file.
How do I recover encrypted folder locked files? ›
How to recover files from Folder Lock:
- Download and install EaseUS file recovery software on Windows.
- Run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and scan the lost files from Folder Lock.
- Preview the found files. Then, recover the deleted files from Folder Lock.
To access data from an encrypted storage device that has broken down, there are two factors you need on your side: the decryption credentials, and a team of data recovery experts to repair your storage device and recovery your encrypted files.
