What To Do During a Ransomware Attack – Step by Step

It rarely starts with something dramatic. 
No alarms. No alerts. Just a simple action — an employee opening a familiar-looking file. 
A PDF invoice. A ZIP with “project data”. A spreadsheet from a “supplier”. 

Everything seems normal… until the computer freezes.

Seconds later, a chilling message takes over the screen:
“Your files are encrypted. Pay the ransom.”

Servers lock up.
Shared folders disappear.
Critical systems become unusable.
And your business, no matter how well-organized, grinds to a halt.

This scenario happens every day to organizations of every size — from small teams to medium-sized companies and large professional environments across Europe.

In this article, you’ll learn exactly what to do the moment ransomware hits, how to limit the damage and how IT bugsolutions helps companies recover and stay protected long-term.

 

What Is Ransomware?

Ransomware is malicious software that:

• encrypts your files

• blocks access to systems

• demands payment in exchange for decryption

Cybercriminals use phishing emails, infected attachments, software vulnerabilities and weak security configurations to infiltrate your environment.

Important: paying the ransom almost never results in data being restored.

Ransomware = downtime, financial loss and often permanent data damage.
But fast action can significantly change the outcome.

 

Step 1 — Immediately Isolate the Infected Device

Speed is everything.

Disconnect the compromised device from:

• the network

• Wi-Fi

• servers

• external drives

• VPN connections

Why?
Ransomware spreads quickly — sometimes within seconds. Isolation prevents a single infected device from taking down your entire organization.

 

Step 2 — Contact Your IT Partner or Internal IT Team Right Away

A ransomware incident is not something you fix alone.

Professionals can:

• analyze the attack

• stop the spread

• safely recover systems

• secure crucial logs and evidence

IT bugsolutions offers immediate 24/7 intervention — even when systems are fully locked down.

 

Step 3 — Never Pay the Ransom

Even if the ransom note sounds convincing, paying is one of the biggest mistakes organizations make.

Here’s why:

• There is no guarantee you’ll get your data back

• You risk funding criminal activity

• You may become a target again

• You may violate regulations if the attackers are sanctioned groups

There are better, safer recovery paths.

 

Step 4 — Identify the Ransomware Variant

Each type of ransomware behaves differently.

Identification helps determine:

• whether decryption is possible

• how to safely remove the infection

• which files can be restored

• the severity of the breach

IT bugsolutions uses advanced forensic tools to determine the exact strain and the best recovery strategy.

 

Step 5 — Recover Your Data From Secure Backups

Your strongest defense against ransomware?

A clean backup that was not connected to your live systems.

Possible recovery options:

• offline backups

• cloud version history

• immutable (non-modification) backups

• full system restore points

No backup?
Some files may still be recoverable depending on the ransomware type — but it becomes more complex.

 

Step 6 — Completely Remove the Ransomware

Even if systems appear to work again, remnants of ransomware can stay dormant.

Proper removal includes:

• deep malware scanning

• elimination of all payloads

• checking suspicious processes

• applying missing patches

• validating system integrity

 

Step 7 — Determine How the Attack Happened

Ransomware doesn’t appear out of nowhere.
There is always an entry point.

Most common causes:

• phishing emails

• outdated software

• weak passwords

• unsecured remote access

• misconfigured cloud services

• missing security patches

IT bugsolutions performs a post-incident security audit to identify what went wrong.

 

Step 8 — Implement Long-Term Protection

Companies that have been attacked once are statistically more likely to be attacked again.

Essential future-proof measures include:

• strong password & MFA enforcement

• employee phishing awareness training

• secure backup strategy

• correct patch & update management

• cloud access lockdown

• 24/7 security monitoring

• network segmentation

With proactive security from IT bugsolutions, you drastically reduce your ransomware risk.

 

How IT bugsolutions Protects Your Organization

IT bugsolutions provides end-to-end protection tailored to businesses of all sizes — from small teams to professional organizations.

Our ransomware defense approach includes:

• 24/7 Threat Detection & Monitoring

Stops attacks before they spread.

• Multi-Layered Cybersecurity

Firewalls, AI threat detection, patching, access controls and more.

• Immutable & Secure Backups

Guaranteed clean restore points — even during severe attacks.

• Immediate Incident Response

We isolate, contain, clean and recover your systems rapidly.

• Preventive Security Audits

We identify vulnerabilities before cybercriminals do.

With IT bugsolutions, you strengthen your resilience and minimize both the operational and financial impact of cyber incidents.

 

Conclusion

A ransomware attack can destroy years of business operations within minutes.
But with fast action, professional support and strong preventive measures, you can limit the damage — or even avoid it entirely.

The key is simple:

• isolate fast

• avoid paying

• call experts

• restore from clean backups

• prevent future breaches

Protect your business before attackers strike. Choose reliability. Choose IT bugsolutions.

 

FAQ

What Should I Do First When Hit by Ransomware?
Immediately isolate the infected device and contact your IT team or IT bugsolutions.

Should I Pay the Ransom?
No. Paying provides no guarantee and puts you at further risk.

Can My Data Still Be Restored?
It depends on the ransomware type and the quality of your backups.

How Does IT bugsolutions Prevent Future Attacks?
Through monitoring, security layers, backup strategies, training and continuous updates.

Are Small Companies Also Targeted?
Absolutely. Cybercriminals actively attack organizations of all sizes.

 

Want to protect your organization against ransomware? IT bugsolutions is ready to secure your systems — today and tomorrow.