A recent report from Cyber Security News highlights a sobering fact: ransomware gangs are now encrypting systems just 17 hours after the initial infection.
That’s less than a single workday before businesses are locked out of their own data, forced to either pay a ransom or face devastating operational downtime.
This rapid timeline underscores the critical flaw in traditional cybersecurity approaches—reactive detection simply isn’t fast enough. If your business still relies on “Detect and Respond” strategies, you’re already behind. Once ransomware is detected, the damage is often already done.
It’s time for a new approach—one that stops threats before they execute.
The Ransomware Lifecycle: Faster Than Your Response Time
According to the report, ransomware groups have streamlined their attack process to ensure maximum impact in minimal time. Here’s how it typically unfolds:
- Initial Compromise (0-4 hours): Attackers infiltrate a network via phishing emails, malicious links, or software vulnerabilities.
- Privilege Escalation (4-10 hours): They gain higher-level access, often using stolen credentials or exploiting misconfigurations.
- Lateral Movement (10-15 hours): The attackers spread across the network, identifying critical data and systems to encrypt.
- Encryption & Ransom Demand (15-17 hours): Systems are locked, business operations grind to a halt, and the ransom note appears.
This entire sequence can happen overnight—meaning your IT team might not even be aware of the breach until it’s too late.
Why “Detect and Respond” Is Failing Businesses
Traditional endpoint protection solutions rely on detection mechanisms—identifying threats once they’re already inside the network. Unfortunately, detection takes time, and sophisticated ransomware can evade security tools, disable defenses, and spread unnoticed until encryption begins.
Even advanced EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) systems struggle against modern ransomware, which can remain dormant for weeks before executing, allowing attackers to bypass security measures.
Once ransomware is detected, IT teams must scramble to contain the spread, recover data, and determine the attack’s origin. This process often takes days or even weeks—time that most businesses simply don’t have.
Isolation and Containment: The Only Way to Stop Ransomware in Its Tracks
Instead of waiting to detect a threat, businesses need a proactive approach that prevents ransomware from executing in the first place. This is where AppGuard comes in.
Unlike traditional solutions, AppGuard uses Isolation and Containment technology to prevent ransomware and malware from launching—no detection required. Here’s how it works:
- Prevents unauthorized code execution: Even if ransomware gets into the system, it can’t run or encrypt files.
- Stops lateral movement: Attackers can’t spread across the network or escalate privileges.
- Blocks fileless malware attacks: Traditional security tools struggle with these, but AppGuard halts them before execution.
With AppGuard, ransomware never gets the chance to act—making your business immune to fast-moving threats like those described in this report.
Act Now—Before Your 17-Hour Window Runs Out
The reality is clear: ransomware is evolving, and traditional security approaches are failing. If your business still relies on “Detect and Respond,” you’re gambling with your data and operations.
It’s time to make the shift to Isolation and Containment with AppGuard. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Talk with us at CHIPS today to learn how AppGuard can keep your business safe from the next ransomware attack.
Contact CHIPS now to secure your business before the clock runs out.
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