Real incidents.
Real lessons.
Real results.

Every engagement teaches something. We share what we learn — because the best way to prepare for an attack is to understand how the last one actually unfolded.

🏥 Healthcare · Ransomware · Incident Response

Ransomware at the Worst Possible Moment

What happens when a healthcare organization gets hit with ransomware while the CIO is on a cruise ship.

Situation

  • CIO was on a cruise — unreachable for 72 hours
  • System administrator left in charge had no incident response training
  • Incident Response Plan was nowhere to be found
  • Endpoint protection had not been maintained or updated
  • Backup tapes also contained the ransomware code
  • No designated war room or command center existed

Actions Taken

  • Conducted emergency Security Assessment to map the full scope
  • Performed Gap Analysis against existing controls
  • Established a Get Well Plan based on the Gap Analysis
  • Developed a documented Incident Response Plan
  • Established Endpoint Protection Workflows with declared responsibility and accountability
  • Revisited and restructured Backup Policies & Procedures

What We Fixed

  • Created a 24/7 escalation chain that doesn't depend on any single person
  • Implemented offline backup strategy immune to ransomware propagation
  • Deployed and maintained endpoint protection across all systems
  • Conducted tabletop exercise rehearsing the IR plan with the full team
  • Established a designated incident command structure

The Lesson

Healthcare organizations must do everything possible to avoid cyberattacks — especially ransomware — because the recovery can become excessively expensive. More importantly, the cost isn't just financial. Patient care stops. Staff can't access records. Surgeries get postponed. The human cost of a healthcare breach is measured in ways that no insurance policy fully covers. The absence of a tested Incident Response Plan is not a gap in documentation — it's a gap in your ability to function when it matters most.

Every client teaches us something new.

We're building this library continuously. If you've experienced a security incident and would like to discuss how it was handled — or how it could have been prevented — we'd welcome the conversation.