Aniket Bhardwaj

Yes, I mean, I think now you're getting in one of the most uncomfortable truths of ransomware, paying the ransom again doesn't guarantee closure. So really, I mean, I think we could spend hours and hours discussing this, but from my perspective, paying the ransom might stop the bleeding in the moment, but it doesn't mean that the tractor is gone for good.

Yes, I mean, I think now you're getting in one of the most uncomfortable truths of ransomware, paying the ransom again doesn't guarantee closure. So really, I mean, I think we could spend hours and hours discussing this, but from my perspective, paying the ransom might stop the bleeding in the moment, but it doesn't mean that the tractor is gone for good.

In fact, we have seen multiple cases where the same group or ransomware affiliate returns within months, sometimes even weeks, either because the organization didn't fully close the back door or worse, because word got out that they were willing to pay. Think of it like this.

In fact, we have seen multiple cases where the same group or ransomware affiliate returns within months, sometimes even weeks, either because the organization didn't fully close the back door or worse, because word got out that they were willing to pay. Think of it like this.

If a burglar breaks into your house and you quietly pay them to leave, but you don't change the locks, what stops them from coming back? Now, sometimes it's not even the same group. The data from the first breach might be resold on underground forums. And a second group sees you as an easy target. Now, in the event of cyber sort of like underground, for instance, a willing pair

If a burglar breaks into your house and you quietly pay them to leave, but you don't change the locks, what stops them from coming back? Now, sometimes it's not even the same group. The data from the first breach might be resold on underground forums. And a second group sees you as an easy target. Now, in the event of cyber sort of like underground, for instance, a willing pair

becomes a high value lead. So that's why a critical part of any ransomware response isn't just recovery, it's hardening, making sure you have a solid IT security hygiene, you have full understanding of your digital ecosystem, full understanding of how many assets you have in the environment. Are they patched? Are they vulnerable? Are you taking enough steps in a timely manner so that

becomes a high value lead. So that's why a critical part of any ransomware response isn't just recovery, it's hardening, making sure you have a solid IT security hygiene, you have full understanding of your digital ecosystem, full understanding of how many assets you have in the environment. Are they patched? Are they vulnerable? Are you taking enough steps in a timely manner so that

threat actors don't end up exploiting those vulnerabilities, you know, really identify, clean up network segmentation, visibility, threat hunting to really ensure that you are ahead of the game before a threat actor successfully infiltrates your environment.

threat actors don't end up exploiting those vulnerabilities, you know, really identify, clean up network segmentation, visibility, threat hunting to really ensure that you are ahead of the game before a threat actor successfully infiltrates your environment.

So all of that needs to happen quickly after the whole containment, because if it doesn't, you're not just closing out an incident, you're opening the door to the sequel.

So all of that needs to happen quickly after the whole containment, because if it doesn't, you're not just closing out an incident, you're opening the door to the sequel.

Absolutely. So at Charles River Associates, within the incident response practice, we work with clients across the full spectrum of cyber events, from urgent breach response to proactive resilience planning. A big part of our work is helping organizations navigate the technical, the legal, and business dimensions of an incident all in real time.

Absolutely. So at Charles River Associates, within the incident response practice, we work with clients across the full spectrum of cyber events, from urgent breach response to proactive resilience planning. A big part of our work is helping organizations navigate the technical, the legal, and business dimensions of an incident all in real time.

So we are not just fixing systems, we are helping leaders make high-impact decisions under pressure. So let me share a few examples. In one case, a global manufacturing company was hit by ransomware that crippled their operations across three continents. Every hour offline was costing millions. Our team helped prioritize system restoration.

So we are not just fixing systems, we are helping leaders make high-impact decisions under pressure. So let me share a few examples. In one case, a global manufacturing company was hit by ransomware that crippled their operations across three continents. Every hour offline was costing millions. Our team helped prioritize system restoration.

coordinated with the forensics and legal teams and supported the overall executive communications and even the insurer reporting. So once again, we weren't just restoring IT, we were helping the business survive the whole critical moment. In another matter, we worked with a private equity firm assessing a potential portfolio company.

coordinated with the forensics and legal teams and supported the overall executive communications and even the insurer reporting. So once again, we weren't just restoring IT, we were helping the business survive the whole critical moment. In another matter, we worked with a private equity firm assessing a potential portfolio company.

Everything looked fine on the surface, but our review uncovered weak identity controls, shadow IT, and traces of past compromise. That was a big one. That really changed the entire valuation discussion and gave the acquirer critical leverage to really protect their investment. And then there was a sensitive case involving suspected ties to North Korean IT workers posing as remote contractors.

Everything looked fine on the surface, but our review uncovered weak identity controls, shadow IT, and traces of past compromise. That was a big one. That really changed the entire valuation discussion and gave the acquirer critical leverage to really protect their investment. And then there was a sensitive case involving suspected ties to North Korean IT workers posing as remote contractors.