Every 40 seconds an organization faces an attack that can halt operations and threaten customer trust.
An expert take by Ethan Cross, HakTechs.com Lead Analyst
When systems are encrypted, the clock starts ticking for business continuity, compliance, and revenue.
Fast, expert evaluation matters. Disconnect infected machines, avoid DIY fixes, and call specialists who can coordinate a response across IT, legal, and leadership.
Our services focus on restoring access to critical systems with clear communication, proven workflows, and a single point of contact for executives.
We use tools such as carving, safe decryptors when available, and backup or tape restores. If needed, we provide mediation under controlled conditions while preserving forensic evidence.
Early engagement reduces loss and speeds return to service. You can read a practical guide on timelines and steps in our linked resource for more detail: ransomware data recovery guide.
Key Takeaways
- Act immediately: disconnect affected systems and engage experts to limit operational and reputational harm.
- Expert-led response aligns technical work with business priorities and legal needs.
- Multiple paths exist: carving, decryptors, backups, tapes, and controlled mediation when required.
- Preserve forensic evidence and prevent reinfection while restoring access.
- Expect transparent communication, a single point of contact, and clearly defined timelines.
Don’t let a ransomware attack define your business: expert-led recovery and response in the United States
Prompt specialist intervention lets your team focus on business continuity, not crisis guesswork. We provide 24/7/365 support and a no-cost consultation that pairs your crisis leaders with a dedicated recovery specialist and lead engineer.
Our free consultation connects your organization to experts who assess the incident, outline safe options, and advise immediate containment steps. We discourage DIY decryption and guide actions that protect evidence for regulators and insurers.
Our team integrates with your MSP/IT and executive leaders to align priorities and speed decision-making. That coordination keeps risk managed while work proceeds across remote and on-site efforts.
- 24/7 U.S. coverage: rapid remote triage and on-site support when needed.
- Security-first discipline: incident response that protects sensitive information and lowers reinfection risk.
- Single point of contact: continuous updates for technical and executive stakeholders.
Our services span immediate triage to full recovery and post-incident hardening. Engage us quickly to limit disruption, preserve evidence, and protect your organization’s standing with partners and regulators.
What should you do immediately after a ransomware attack?
Immediate containment reduces lateral movement and preserves evidence for effective response. Act quickly but deliberately: isolate affected hosts, preserve system state, and call for expert help.
How do I contain infected systems without losing encrypted files?
Pull network cables or disable interfaces to stop spread. Do not power down, reformat, or delete encrypted files.
Preserving the system state protects critical data and keeps forensic trails intact. That helps with legal, insurance, and diagnostic needs.
Why should I avoid DIY decryption attempts?
Unverified unlockers and trial fixes can corrupt files and overwrite artifacts. That increases the risk of permanent data loss and hinders professionals.
When should I call for a free consultation and coordinate incident response?
Contact our team immediately for a free consultation so we can scope affected systems, prioritize business services, and work with your MSP/IT and crisis team.
“Measured urgency—contain, preserve, and coordinate—yields better outcomes than rushed fixes that cause irreversible damage.”
- Keep an evidence log: timestamps, ransom note text, observed behavior, and first indicators of compromise.
- Decide reporting with counsel: law enforcement engagement should align with legal advice.
Ransomware Data Recovery Services
We combine proven engineering with ethical, repeatable methods to restore access to business-critical files and systems.
Restoring access starts with focused analysis of storage structures and file footprints.
Data carving inspects file headers, allocation tables, and block signatures across SAN/LUN, ZFS, and NetApp WAFL. When direct decryption is unsafe or impossible, carving reconstructs encrypted files and critical content without relying on attacker keys.
Safe decryption is used only when vendor or public decryptors expose real vulnerabilities or when proprietary tools verify key handling flaws. We validate any decryption in a controlled lab to prevent corruption and prove recoverability.
Backup and tape restoration covers LTO, DLT, Veeam, Commvault, and Acronis media—even when catalogs were wiped. Our team repairs VBK/VIB files, maps VM dependencies, and brings virtual machines online to restore business services quickly.
Ethics and mediation: we do not buy keys or advise you to pay ransom. Mediation is a last resort and is handled strategically to lower risk, cost, and operational harm while preserving legal and forensic integrity.
| Method | When Used | Supported Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Data carving | No safe key available or encrypted files are salvageable by structure | SAN/LUN, ZFS, NetApp WAFL, virtual volumes |
| Verified decryptors | Known vendor flaw or public tool validated in lab | Selected file sets, controlled VM snapshots |
| Backup & tape restore | Backups corrupted, catalogs missing, or archival media available | LTO, DLT, Veeam (VBK/VIB), Commvault, Acronis |
| Ransom mediation | Only when all technical options exhausted and legal counsel approves | Strategic, documented engagements with minimal exposure |
Our recovery process: transparent, methodical, and built for complex ransomware attacks
We start with a no-cost expert evaluation that defines scope, priorities, and a single point of contact for your leadership. This gives clarity on what’s recoverable, the expected timelines, and immediate risks so teams can act with confidence.
No-cost expert evaluation and dedicated point of contact
One specialist coordinates all updates. Engineers assess affected systems, map dependencies, and set milestones so executives see progress at a glance.
Incident response and environment containment
We isolate segments and access paths to stop further malware spread while keeping critical lifelines online. That containment reduces reinfection risk and protects evidence for forensic review.
Data recovery and file repair using proprietary tools
Imaging and safe lab analysis come first. Our proprietary tools repair files, databases, and even backup formats to maximize restoration without relying on attacker keys.
Validation, secure handoff, and post-recovery hardening
Recovered sets are validated in controlled environments for integrity and app-level operability before they return to production.
We encrypt transfers, enforce role-based access, and document chain-of-custody. Post-incident guidance covers hardening, backup posture reviews, and lessons learned.
Want a technical deep dive on our methods? See our guide on mastering ransomware recovery for detailed workflows and case studies.
Technology and techniques that give you an edge over modern ransomware
We combine targeted engineering and modern defenses to speed safe restores and harden your environment. These capabilities cut downtime and reduce reinfection risk.
How do JIT custom-built tools help when standard utilities fail?
When off-the-shelf utilities can’t touch niche storage or legacy systems, Ontrack engineers build just-in-time tooling tailored to the environment.
These tools parse nonstandard file systems, extract intact files around encryption, and automate steps that would otherwise take days. That accelerates time-to-recovery and lowers manual error.
How do AI/ML and threat feeds speed containment?
Cohesity-driven AI/ML flags anomalous patterns and early malware behavior so teams act before wide spread. Curated threat intelligence maps known indicators of compromise and suggests safe decryptors or validated paths.
Automated SOC integrations push indicators across scans and orchestrations, making validation fast and repeatable.
What safeguards preserve restore integrity?
Zero Trust controls — MFA, role-based access control, and quorum approval — prevent unauthorized changes to backups. Immutable snapshots and WORM-like protections preserve clean restore points even under elevated attack.
Encryption scanning and classification separate suspect files from clean sets so restores avoid reinfection.
| Capability | Purpose | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| JIT custom tools (Ontrack) | Handle legacy/niche systems | Faster, accurate restores; fewer manual steps |
| AI/ML anomaly detection (Cohesity) | Early detection of unusual patterns | Prioritized containment and focused forensics |
| Immutable snapshots & cyber vaulting | Protect backup integrity | Guaranteed clean restore points; resists deletion |
| Zero Trust (MFA, RBAC, quorum) | Prevent unauthorized changes | Stronger security posture during incident |
“Combining human expertise with intelligent tooling gives faster, more reliable outcomes than either alone.”
Security and compliance you can trust with sensitive data
We operate under strict, certified controls to protect your information at every step. Our facilities meet ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 standards and follow HIPAA-aligned controls for healthcare-related systems.
Our certifications and certifications-driven processes provide an auditable foundation for secure handling. Role-based access limits who can touch recovered materials and logs every action for review.
How do we limit who can view and handle sensitive materials?
We use least-privilege roles and enforced approvals. Every access event is recorded and audited to maintain chain-of-custody and regulator-ready evidence.
How do we reduce risk while working on live systems?
Work occurs in segmented, multi-zoned networks that separate workloads and shrink the blast radius during an incident. Temporary staging tools inherit the same protections so exposure is minimal.
- Ongoing pen tests and monthly vulnerability scans keep posture hardened.
- Redundancy preserves availability across long operations.
- Encrypted transfers and secure storage maintain integrity for stakeholders and regulators.
“Security-first execution ensures operational goals are met without compromising protection.”
Where we recover ransomware data: servers, virtual environments, and beyond
We repair and restore across physical servers, SAN/LUN volumes, virtual machines, NAS, and tape archives. Our approach maps dependencies, repairs file systems, and stages verified restores so systems return online with minimal disruption.
From enterprise file systems like ZFS and NetApp WAFL to legacy SAN OS volumes, we inspect metadata and rebuild allocation maps. We handle OS-level mounts, database files, and broken indexes across Windows, Linux, and UNIX hosts.
In virtual environments we repair VM images, fix corrupted snapshots, and reconstruct datastores. Our engineers trace orphaned disks, rebuild VBK/VIB chains, and map dependencies so dependent applications boot in the right order.
Backups and tapes are in scope too. We work with LTO and DLT media and with platforms like Veeam, Commvault, and Acronis—even when catalogs are missing. Damaged backup chains are analyzed and repaired to yield usable restore points.
NAS scenarios include factory resets and deleted shares. We rebuild indexes and metadata to extract intact files and minimize damage to file integrity.
- Hybrid and legacy systems: custom tools for niche architectures and unusual filesystems.
- Malware-aware handling: suspect files are scanned and isolated so restores don’t reintroduce threats.
- Tiered sequencing: prioritized restores keep critical services running while secondary systems catch up.
“We align tools and procedures to your stack so outcomes are repeatable, verifiable, and safe.”
Timelines, availability, and pricing built around your incident
Clear timelines and honest pricing remove guesswork when an incident disrupts operations. We offer 24/7/365 engagement and work until completion so leaders can plan with confidence.
Average windows vary by complexity: simple cases often finish in 2–5 business days, while complex platform mixes take 7–14 business days.
How do we set realistic expectations?
We start with a free consultation that scopes systems and lists priorities. Early analysis refines timelines and flags likely points of damage.
- Factors we consider: platform diversity, extent of file impact, and backup health.
- Surge options: fast-track prioritization for critical business systems.
How does pricing protect the customer?
Our pricing is transparent and tied to what can be restored. You get a detailed quote after preliminary findings so you only pay for verified results—not promises.
- Flexible payment plans: extended terms to avoid delaying urgent work.
- Milestone billing: intake, findings, execution, validation, and secure delivery.
Communication is predictable: regular status updates, documented blockers, and clear escalation paths keep executives informed. We favor accuracy over speed when integrity matters, while offering options to accelerate when business risk is high.
Integrated incident response: from forensics to business continuity
When an intrusion threatens operations, a coordinated plan keeps systems usable and teams aligned. We pair forensic analysis with operational playbooks so leaders can make fast, informed choices.
When containment and technical work happen together, you shorten downtime and limit follow-on harm. Our model blends structured incident response with targeted recovery tasks to stabilize production systems while investigators map the scope.
How do we work with your MSP and CERT-style partners?
We coordinate with your MSP/IT and CERT-style partners using shared playbooks. That locks objectives, roles, and timelines so containment, remediation, and communication run in parallel.
What forensic and reporting steps protect your organization?
Forensics uncovers persistence, lateral movement, and exfiltration paths. We produce clear exfiltration reports to help counsel, regulators, and customers understand what left the environment.
- Vulnerability assessment and targeted fixes close exploited gaps.
- Access reviews, credential hygiene, and hardening prevent re-compromise.
- Orchestrated restore plans re-stage clean systems, validate backups, and sequence app returns.
Measured ransom negotiations are a last-resort track while primary technical recovery continues. Thorough documentation supports insurance, compliance, and post-incident reviews so your organization emerges stronger.
Why choose our expert team for ransomware recovery today
Choose a team that pairs deep engineering with clear, honest communication under pressure. We combine decades of experience, proprietary tools, and vendor collaboration to make restores predictable and auditable.
Decades of hands-on experience: Ontrack has worked since 1985 with the world’s largest R&D group and close manufacturer ties. That history matters in high-stakes cases where platform internals matter.
What makes our approach different?
Proprietary tooling and JIT engineering adapt to hybrid and legacy systems so critical services come back first. Our specialists build case-by-case fixes when standard tools fail.
- Team structure: lead engineers, specialists, and a single project manager keep work precise and communication steady.
- Vendor collaboration: partnerships with major vendors speed troubleshooting and avoid guesswork.
- Customer-first policies: transparent scope, pay-on-success options, and honest guidance about what is recoverable.
How do we protect your business while restoring service?
Strict security and validation guard compliance and reduce executive risk. We validate each set before handoff, document chain-of-custody, and prioritize critical data so customer-facing systems return quickly.
“Honest updates, tested tools, and a prioritized plan reduce downtime and exposure.”
Engage our team now for a focused assessment and to shorten time to safe, verified recovery. Early action preserves options and speeds predictable outcomes.
Conclusion
Immediate isolation buys you time to pursue controlled, expert-led restoration steps.
Contain the incident, preserve evidence, and begin a transparent recovery process that puts business continuity first.
Do not treat paying ransom as a strategy. Focus on ethical methods—file carving, validated decryptors, and backup or tape restores—to regain access while limiting loss.
Our team is available 24/7/365 with flexible payment options, clear scope, and milestone billing so you know what can be restored before paying. We pair Zero Trust controls and immutable backups with proven tools to reduce reinfection risk.
Every incident is unique. Request a free consultation now to get an expert assessment, timeline, and plan. For guidance on removing persistent threats, see our short guide to remove persistent malware.
