Ransomware Risk Analysis – Ransomware Investigation – Ransomware Attack

Ransomware

Investigation

Ransomware Gangs
May 9, 2022 “Ransomware gangs are “alarmingly similar” to legitimate organizations with their management structures and HR policies, and there is a clear logic to the way to target companies that they are certain would pay for the ransom to decrypt their data, a new report by Check Point Research” News-Link on Ransomware Gangs
Conti Cybercrime Gang
May 08, 2022. “The U.S. State Department has announced rewards of up to $10 million for any information leading to the identification of key individuals who are part of the infamous Conti cybercrime gang.”
>> News-Link on Conti cybercrime gang
College shuts Down after Ransomware Attack
May 09, 2022 “A university that originally opened its doors the same year that the American Civil War ended will shut down later this month. Lincoln College administrators have put the blame on a ransomware attack, which they say hindered admissions and fundraising activities during a period when the school was already struggling.”
>> News-Link: Ransomsware Closes College Permanently
Microsoft Fighting Ransomware
May 09, 2022 “The investment comes as organizations ramp up their security spending to manage the increased threats of ransomware attacks and network hacks.” >> News-Link on Microsoft launching cybersecurity services to help clients fight off ransomware and other attacks
Costa Rica national emergency after Conti ransomware
“Conti published most of the 672 GB dump that appears to contain data belonging to the Costa Rican government agencies” >> News-Link 1 >>on cyber attacks Conti ransomware group on multiple government bodies.
News-Link 2 >> on Costa Rica State of Emergency Under Sustained Conti Cyberattacks
Ransomware As a Service

 

Growing Threat

The threat of ransomware has grown over the years. Millions of organizations and companies have been hacked. The costs amount globally to billions of USD and the number of future ransomware cases is projected to rise even more.

Ransomware attacks are now a very common type of tool used by attackers. Organized crime groups and criminal ransomware gangs will use targeted ransomware attacks which can cost organizations millions of dollars. Besides that, your data might still be appearing on the dark web in data breaches. Even when you have paid… Getting back on your feet will require many days, if not weeks or months to have your computers working again and regain full access to the servers and your data.

Ransomware is a type of malware that will:

black and gray laptop computer beside black and gray speaker

Is your company & customer data protected from ransomware?

  • ransomware attackers can threaten to publish the victim’s personal data online
  • ransomware can block access to your device until you pay the ransom fee
  • ransomware will extort the victim (extortion attack)
  • ransomware will publish your files on the dark web if you don’t pay or cooperate

Do you want to pay the ransom?

The tracking and prosecution of suspects can prove to be a challenge since cybercriminals use cryptocurrency to collect the ransom fee (difficult to trace) and other techniques remain anonymous.

The main types of ransomware are:

  • Encrypting ransomware
  • Non-encrypting ransomware
  • Data Exfiltration ransomware
  • Crypto ransomware or encryptors will encrypt your files and data. you need a decryption key to access your data.
  • Lockers will lock you out of your computer. Files & applications are not accessible. Ransom demand is requested via lock-screen with a countdown clock.
  • Scareware will claim false positives and requests money.
  • Doxware or leak-ware will threaten you to distribute your data online unless you pay
  • RaaS (Ransomware as a Service) is a complex malware system that uses anonymous command and control centers to distribute ransomware & collect the ransom payment.

Most ransomware infections are spread via phishing emails, or by attachments with fake invoices or other deceiving fake information. Be careful what you click on, be careful which attachment you open.

 

Lifecycle of a Ransomware incident

Establish a good risk management strategy

Whatever type of cybersecurity measurements you have in place, no system is perfect and humans are not perfect. Neither are computer systems. Hence a good risk management strategy must start with a ransomware risk assessment.

This is where AR INTELL can assist you with a ransomware investigation.

Malware Investigation

How to know if you are infected with Malware?

Malware can hide at many levels in your IT systems. It is difficult to pinpoint the symptoms of infection due to the obfuscated nature of malware and the different methods it uses. It is important to look at all the places where malware is hiding.

Fileless Malware

Malware Analysis

1st we will do a Malware analysis which is the process of understanding the behavior and purpose of a suspicious file or web link. In stage 2 we will proceed with the detection and deal with the threat itself.

This is important for the incident responders and cyber security team.

Africa Private Investigators

Africa Private Investigators

To conduct private investigations in African countries it has to be noted that there are +3,000 different ethnic groups in Africa, which is the 2nd largest continent on earth. Africa is also the richest continent when it comes down to natural resources for example gold and diamond, platinum, uranium, nickel, oil, land for agriculture.

AR INTELL Private Investigators has a regional office in South Africa and we are able to operate in most of these 54 African countries, belonging to the African Union (AU).

 

Private Investigators Africa

Algeria (Algiers), Angola (Luanda), Benin (Porto-Novo), Botswana (Caborone), Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou), Burundi (Bujumbura), Cameroon (Yaounde), Cape Verde (Praia), Central African Republic (Bangui), Chad (N’Djamena), Comoros (Moroni), The Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), Djibouti (Djibouti), Egypt (Cairo), Equatorial Guinea (Malabo), Eritrea (Asmara), Ethiopia (Addis Ababa), Gabon (Libreville), Gambia (Banjul), Ghana (Accra), Guinea (Conakry), Guinea-Bissau (Bissau), Ivory Coast (Abidjan) Yamoussoukro, Kenya (Nairobi), Lesotho (Maseru), Liberia (Monrovia), Libya (Tripoli), Madagascar (Antananarivo), Malawi (Lilongwe), Mali (Bamako), Mauritania (Nouakchott), Mauritius (Port Louis), Morocco (Rabat), Mozambique (Maputo), Namibia (Windhoek), Niger (Niamey), Nigeria (Abuja), Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Rwanda (Kigali), Sao Tome and Principe (Sao Tome), Senegal (Dakar), Seychelles (Victoria), Sierra Leone (Freetown), Somalia (Mogadishu), South Africa (Cape Town), South Sudan (Juba), Sudan (Khartoum), Swaziland (Mbabane), Tanzania (Dodoma), Togo (Lome), Tunisia (Tunis), Uganda (Kampala), Zambia (Lusaka), Zimbabwe (Harare)

Inquiry Africa Private Investigators

Drone Surveillance

drone image surveillance

Eye in the Sky

Having an “eye in the sky” is useful in investigations where you need to be able to see where you cannot go or put a camera on the ground.

Drones can be equipped with a video camera, sensors or infrared and other technology that allows you to gather data about a target zone. Drones can be used for surveillance also.

The commercial use of drones is regulated by the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) and other local authorities.

Typically in a private investigation, small commercial drone operations would be considered legal to use when limited flying them during daylight hours. The operator also needs to meet certain certification standards as set by local governments and relevant authorities.

Drones can be used for:

  • land Surveys with up to date images and information about a certain area
  • mapping and analysis of the data gathered
  • gathering information for a court case
  • reenactments of crimes and reconstruction of crime scenes
  • pre-surveillance allows you to do a reconnaissance of an area (check access and road safetey)
  • access dangerous places without putting people at risk
  • find concealed or hidden objects such as stolen property, hidden somewhere
  • determine the exact location of stolen items
  • create aerial photography at a low cost and yet high quality (instead of using planes and helicopters)
  • lower cost of litigation in regards to image or video acquisition of evidence to sumbit to the court
Inquiry AR INTELL Drone Surveillance Serice

Blacklisting and Blackballing Investigations

blacklist investigation
Blacklisting and Blackballing Investigations are done when somebody (could also be a group, a company, or an organization) is the subject of Blackballing or blacklisting. This is in general the practice of a person or party excluding another person or party from a certain event, place, or social circle without just cause. Blacklisting may be done against an individual or against an entire group of people.
Blacklisting or slander can be detrimental when you are looking for a new job and false or fake information pops up during reference or background checks. This could mean that somebody has put that information there. Such false information can be used to judge your personal character.
blackballing investigation
AR INTELL can assist you to determine if this is the case and what action could be taken along the way. Especially today with the presence of social media where anybody can say or write anything about you, this is even more important.
Inquiry Blacklisting and Blackballing Investigations

Birth Parents Investigation

who are my parents?

Locate and Identify your Birth Parents

If you are an adopted child, maybe you want to know who is your biological family or significant family members. What is your real place of birth? Or track down your biological parents, who is your biological father and mother? Maybe you want to check if you have some genetic condition in order to protect your personal health? Maybe you have brother or sisters?

Element in the birth parents investigation process

  • collection of any info about your adoption
  • checking if there a legal provision in your country called adoption reunion registry
  • adoption records
  • who arranged your adoption
  • DNA testing services
  • genealogy services
  • date of birth, date of death, place of birth, or names of both birth parents

Legal Issues & Ethical Questions

You might have many questions, for which the answers are not easy to obtain. This is also a very sensitive type of investigation. There could be some legal and ethical issues involved.  The investigation to find your birth parents is sometimes long and emotionally charged. As an adopted person you need to check if you are ready to know the truth. This is where AR INTELL  can provide you with the correct assistance.

who are you? track down birth parents

AR INTELL can find the biological relatives of adopted children. We can find your biological parents.

We will assist you in tracking down your birth parents. This can be a difficult process, but worth it if it becomes a rewarding life experience. When we find your birth parents, you will not have to spend more restless nights thinking about who are biological parents are.

Inquiry Birth Parents Location Investigation

Identity Theft Investigation – PID

identity theft investigation

What is identity theft?

Identity theft can be defined as a crime of obtaining the personal or financial information of another person by useing their identity to commit fraud. There are many types of identity theft. The target is mostly your your credit, your money and real life reputation. Identity thieves, privacy hackers and cyber criminals increasingly use computer technology to obtain your personally identifiable details (PID).

Different types of identity theft:

  • Financial identity theft
  • Social Security identity theft
  • Medical identity theft
  • Synthetic identity theft
  • Child identity theft
  • Tax identity theft
  • Criminal identity theft

How to prevent identity theft?

Have you put your company or personal identity online? If so did you consider privacy and security? There are many things to consider today.

is your identity stolen

Inquiry Identity Theft Investigations

Counter Surveillance

professional counter surveillance

 

Counter surveillance refers to measures undertaken by the public to prevent surveillance, including covert surveillance. 

Counter surveillance includes:

  • discovery of electronic methods that are used to monitor your movement or record your conversations and record video, send signals of movement etc.
  • technical surveillance counter-measures
  • detection of hidden or covert surveillance devices
  • detection covert listening devices
  • visual surveillance devices
  • countersurveillance software to detect spyware & malware etc..
  • detect people accessing computing and mobile devices for various nefarious reasons
  • find an indicator of data theft or theft of financial, personal, or corporate data and other business secrets
  • deploy actions (countermeasures) to reduce the risk of surveillance
  • Countersurveillance tries to prevent or reduce surveillance by the enemy or adversary or unknown entities

 

Technical surveillance counter-measures

Electronic bugs or spy devices emit electromagnetic radiation (called RF – radio waves on a certain frequency). To detect these bugs you can “sweep” for them with professional TSCM bug sweeping RF detection technology.

 

Software countermeasures and Cyber Security

As an individual, organization, or company you might have concerns over your privacy relating to premises, conversations, and places where you store your confidential data or conduct private & confidential conversations. How sure are you that your office or meeting places are not bugged with spy devices? Have you checked?

This is why in cybersecurity software countermeasures can prevent all sorts of cyber-intrusions, cyber espionage, data-exfiltration, snooping, and data theft of personally identifiable information (PID). We all use computer systems, we are all connected, and hacking is a real threat. Corporate Espionage Operators target regularly proprietary assets, intellectual property, and other business secrets.

 

AR INTELL Counter Surveillance & Cyber Security Team will secure:

  • your communications
  • your privacy
  • your confidential information
  • detection of Invasion of Privacy
  • Interceptions of Communications
  • Detection of Electronic Eavesdropping

Our methods are hands-on. We use:

  • government-grade equipment
  • diverse cyber security specialists
  • different backgrounds and vast experience
  • in-depth reports & analysis of the intell

AR INTELL provides Counter-Intelligence services to:

  • Law Firms
  • Large Corporations & Companies
  • Businesses (SME – SMB)
  • Government Agencies (*)
  • Law Enforcement Agencies

 

Our services include:

 

INQUIRY COUNTER SURVEILLANCE

Shah Alam Private Investigators

Siasatan Persendirian

Kami mendekati semua penyiasatan kami dengan kerahsiaan dan budi bicara mutlak. Pasukan pegawai penyiasat profesional kami mempunyai kemahiran penyiasatan yang unik. Kami beroperasi mengikut peruntukan rangka kerja undang-undang dan undang-undang yang berkaitan.

Pengawasan | Siasatan Perkahwinan | Tangkap Pasangan Curang | Kes Keluarga | Pengesanan Aset | Kediaman bersama | Tuntutan Penipuan | Penyiasatan Latar Belakang | Semakan Latar Belakang | Orang Hilang | Semakan Gaya Hidup | Di bawah Operasi Sampul | Forensik Komputer | Forensik Digital | Forensik Mudah Alih | Analisis Telefon Pintar | Penjejakan GPS | Lokasi GEO |

Siasatan Penipuan Korporat

Penipuan Korporat | | Usaha Wajar | Perlindungan Jenama | Pemalsuan | Perlindungan Harta Intelek | Penyiasatan IP | Pengesanan Aset | Pemalsuan, Penemuan Data & Aset Tersembunyi | Pengintipan Korporat | Penyapuan Pepijat | TCSM | Di bawah Operasi Sampul | Ops Tersembunyi | Penjejakan GPS | Tayangan Eksekutif | Saringan Pra-Pekerjaan | Tayangan Vendor | Siasatan Jenayah Siber | Pengumpulan & Analisis Perisikan | Peraduan Proksi |

Perisikan Korporat

Pelaburan yang mantap dalam pembangunan Perisikan Korporat & Perisikan Ancaman akan melengkapkan syarikat pintar & pelbagai syarikat dengan kapasiti untuk mengesan dan menentang unsur jenayah dan ancaman lain tepat pada masanya.

Forensik Komputer & Keselamatan Siber

Pasukan Forensik Digital dan saintis data kami akan menyediakan analisis komputer/data forensik yang komprehensif dan mendalam. Kami menyediakan Stesen Kerja Desktop Pc/Mac/Linux & Forensik Komputer Riba, Forensik Mudah Alih (semua jenis telefon pintar & tablet), Forensik Pelayan & Siasatan Jenayah Siber.

Pengurusan Risiko Keselamatan & Penilaian Risiko

Perkhidmatan Pentadbiran, Korporat & Perniagaan. Keselamatan Siber, Teknologi Infrastruktur Dan Penyelidikan, Perkhidmatan Profesional IT & WEB. Kepimpinan & Pengurusan, Penciptaan Dasar Keselamatan, Undang-undang Siber, Rangka Kerja Undang-undang Keselamatan & Penguatkuasaan.

Kuching Private Investigators – Penyiasat Persendirian Kuching

Siasatan Persendirian

Kami mendekati semua penyiasatan kami dengan kerahsiaan dan budi bicara mutlak. Pasukan pegawai penyiasat profesional kami mempunyai kemahiran penyiasatan yang unik. Kami beroperasi mengikut peruntukan rangka kerja undang-undang dan undang-undang yang berkaitan.

Pengawasan | Siasatan Perkahwinan | Tangkap Pasangan Curang | Kes Keluarga | Pengesanan Aset | Kediaman bersama | Tuntutan Penipuan | Penyiasatan Latar Belakang | Semakan Latar Belakang | Orang Hilang | Semakan Gaya Hidup | Di bawah Operasi Sampul | Forensik Komputer | Forensik Digital | Forensik Mudah Alih | Analisis Telefon Pintar | Penjejakan GPS | Lokasi GEO |

Siasatan Penipuan Korporat

Penipuan Korporat | | Usaha Wajar | Perlindungan Jenama | Pemalsuan | Perlindungan Harta Intelek | Penyiasatan IP | Pengesanan Aset | Pemalsuan, Penemuan Data & Aset Tersembunyi | Pengintipan Korporat | Penyapuan Pepijat | TCSM | Di bawah Operasi Sampul | Ops Tersembunyi | Penjejakan GPS | Tayangan Eksekutif | Saringan Pra-Pekerjaan | Tayangan Vendor | Siasatan Jenayah Siber | Pengumpulan & Analisis Perisikan | Peraduan Proksi |

Perisikan Korporat

Pelaburan yang mantap dalam pembangunan Perisikan Korporat & Perisikan Ancaman akan melengkapkan syarikat pintar & pelbagai syarikat dengan kapasiti untuk mengesan dan menentang unsur jenayah dan ancaman lain tepat pada masanya.

Forensik Komputer & Keselamatan Siber

Pasukan Forensik Digital dan saintis data kami akan menyediakan analisis komputer/data forensik yang komprehensif dan mendalam. Kami menyediakan Stesen Kerja Desktop Pc/Mac/Linux & Forensik Komputer Riba, Forensik Mudah Alih (semua jenis telefon pintar & tablet), Forensik Pelayan & Siasatan Jenayah Siber.

Pengurusan Risiko Keselamatan & Penilaian Risiko

Perkhidmatan Pentadbiran, Korporat & Perniagaan. Keselamatan Siber, Teknologi Infrastruktur Dan Penyelidikan, Perkhidmatan Profesional IT & WEB. Kepimpinan & Pengurusan, Penciptaan Dasar Keselamatan, Undang-undang Siber, Rangka Kerja Undang-undang Keselamatan & Penguatkuasaan.