Ransomware Recovery at a Hospitality Venue
Targeted by Ransomware. Recovered with PNG Cyber.
Overview
The hospitality industry is an attractive target for ransomware groups. A regional hotel with a small gaming footprint fell victim to a well-known ransomware gang. The ransomware encrypted numerous datasets, impacting several core services' performance. Staff had to revert to using pen-and-paper to maintain minimal customer service. Every hour of downtime directly resulted in lost revenue and potential long-term damage to customer loyalty and brand reputation.
Challenge
The internal IT team was only staffed to maintain operations and the organization had many legacy systems and no clear recovery procedures. Additionally, no recent clean backups were available. The ransomware threat actor was threatening to exfiltrate and leak customer data online. The internal IT team needed immediate incident response assistance, as well as additional resources to aid in restoration & recovery.
PNG Cyber’s Response
Rapid Response and Threat Intelligence
PNG Cyber was selected as a top choice by the client’s cyber insurance carrier. Upon receiving the emergency call and scoping information, we mobilized a rapid response team to the client’s site within hours. In parallel, our threat intelligence experts confirmed the ransomware variant, identified the threat actor group, and analyzed their known tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). We immediately began dark web monitoring to identify any signs of client data exfiltration or chatter related to the attack. Using this threat intelligence, we developed a containment, eradication, and remediation strategy tailored to the specific threat. Our experts also initiated threat actor communications to gather further intelligence and explore negotiation options on behalf of the client.
Containment and Forensic Investigation
Our team worked around the clock to isolate the threat and launched a forensic investigation to identify the initial point of compromise. We eradicated persistence mechanisms, analyzed impacted systems for evidence of data exfiltration, and secured the organization’s network.
Restoration and Stakeholder Coordination
Restoration efforts were prioritized based on business criticality, allowing essential operations to resume quickly. Throughout the engagement, we coordinated closely with key stakeholders to align response strategies, provided real-time guidance on ransomware negotiation and data recovery efforts, and supported internal communications to maintain transparency and confidence among leadership and staff.
Results
Successfully contained, eradicated, and recovered from the ransomware attack.
Achieved rapid restoration and ensured minimal data loss and business interruption.
Delivered detailed forensic findings and root cause analysis.
Identified critical technology and procedural gaps, including deficiencies in backup management and incident response preparedness.
Provided cyber maturity roadmap with prioritized recommendations to minimize future risks.
