Of all the potential cyberattacks businesses will face—ransomware attacks create some of the highest levels of anxiety. There’s just something extra alarming about discovering all your data has been encrypted and finding yourself dead in the water holding a ransom note.

With the rise of AI-assisted malware and Ransomware-as-a-Service models, the danger is only increasing, allowing novice attackers to launch the sorts of devastating campaigns that used to require seasoned cybercriminals.

Manufacturing companies are particularly vulnerable to these attacks. In fact, one recent report named the manufacturing industry as the single most popular sector for ransomware attacks in 2024.

A Typical Situation

I recently heard about a case of a large manufacturing firm ($25M+ in revenue) hit with a sudden and severe ransomware attack that compromised its IT infrastructure and encrypted critical systems.

While the attackers didn’t penetrate the operational technology (OT) environment, the impact on IT operations was immediate and paralyzing—shutting down business as usual and putting valuable data at risk.

This particular manufacturer was not one of our clients, but it’s a common attack pattern we see quite often at Inversion6. With this in mind, it’s worth examining in more detail.

Rapid Response

In a case like this, our manufacturing firm needs an Incident Response (IR) partner—fast! And whoever they choose needs to be able to move quickly, think clearly and act without adding complexity to an already difficult situation.

It’s a job that demands both urgency and precision. Here’s how our team typically handles the work.

• Initial Consultation: We gather a clear, calm, comprehensive account of the initial attack, the impacted system and any response actions already taken.
• Targeted System Analysis: Based on the facts gathered and our experience, we identify systems to investigate first based on likely entry points.
• Rapid Data Collection: In the absence of centralized data logging, we work closely with the client to find and preserve as much forensic evidence as possible.
• Comprehensive Forensic Investigation: We trace the attack back to its root, identify “patient zero,” detect compromised credentials and audit all exfiltrated data.

The Results

No reactive incident response can put the genie back in the bottle; but with rapid intervention, a manufacturing client like this can contain the damage and mitigate the consequences. The ultimate success of this containment and mitigation effort will depend on a variety of factors, including:

• Identifying the Attack Vector: This is a critical step, not only for closing the door to future attacks, but for understanding how long the attacker was in the environment prior to the breach being detected.
• Determining Data Exfiltration: In cases like this, internal recovery and external post-attack compliance both depend on a comprehensive and brutally honest assessment of how much data was truly impacted.
• Restoring Lost Data: Once our team understands the mode and scope of the attack, we know how far back to go to restore systems and data. Using this knowledge, the client is often able to leverage system backups to restore much of what was stolen and held for ransom.
• Resuming Operations: Even in the case of a severe attack, quick and decisive action can help get a client back in business very quickly, minimizing downtime and mitigating the long-term negative impact.
• Strengthening Future Defense: Once the emergency is dealt with and the client is back online, our team prepares a full list of actionable, achievable recommendations to help detect and prevent future incidents before they progress to this level.

The Big Takeaway

Manufacturers are prime targets for ransomware attacks. When attackers inevitably strike, speed, clarity and experience will make all the difference.

Fortunately, when a manufacturer chooses the right partner at the right time they can react quickly to understand what happened, reclaim control and get back to business with stronger defenses than ever before.

Bottom line: cyberattacks are chaotic, but your response doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, you can turn a potential data disaster into a defining moment of resilience.

Learn More

Ransomware never rests. Neither should your response strategy.
Visit our Incident Response page to learn how Inversion6 can help you stay protected.