Before Ransomware Strikes: Attack Playbook
By the time you see the ransom note, the attack's been underway for hours, sometimes days. The encryption is the last step, not the first. If you only react when files lock up, you've already lost the part that mattered.
Ransomware is one of the most devastating threats out there today
This playbook walks through the stages of a ransomware attack so you can spot it while there's still time to act.
The stages of a ransomware attack
Initial access: A malicious link, stolen credentials, or an exposed service gets an attacker in the door.
Foothold and recon: They look around quietly, mapping accounts, backups, and what's worth taking.
Privilege escalation and lateral movement: They grab stronger access and spread to more systems.
Data theft: Increasingly, they steal first and encrypt later, so they can extort you twice.
Encryption and extortion: This is the visible part. By now, the damage is mostly done.
Early-warning signs
New or unexpected admin accounts
Security tools getting disabled or modified
Odd logins at strange hours or from strange places
Backups being accessed, altered, or deleted
Spikes in data leaving your network
A defense checklist
Lock down remote access and require multi-factor authentication everywhere
Keep offline, tested backups
Watch endpoints and identities for the early stages, not just the final one
Have a response plan that your team has actually rehearsed
How Huntress helps
The whole point is catching the quiet middle of the attack. Huntress surfaces the recon and lateral movement that come before encryption. See how we approach ransomware and what continuous detection looks like with Managed EDR.
Download the playbook and get ahead of the ransom note.
