ThreeAM Ransomware

The ThreeAM ransomware entered your system by one of several possible methods:

• Compromised credentials

• Phishing attacks

• Vulnerabilities in remote services

In many cases, the attack begins when a compromised computer is used as a foothold, often through the actions of a tech support team member unknowingly allowing remote access or through the misuse of privileged accounts.

A threat intelligence analyst would identify this as part of a broader pattern of targeted, hands-on ransomware operations. To reduce the risk of future incidents, we recommend adopting the following policies:

• Educate your staff on the importance of cyber security

• Enforce the use of strong passwords

• Enable multi-factor authentication

• Remove unused or old user accounts

• Perform regular, tested backups

• Deploy timely updates to all software and systems

After recovering from a ThreeAM ransomware attack, Zensec strongly advises updating your business continuity plan to reflect the lessons learnt during the incident and recovery process.

A ransomware attack presents the most significant threat to your business by:

• Disabling your access to systems, which could hinder machinery operation or impede progress through your business processes.
• Blocking access to critical data concerning suppliers, shipments, customers, orders, or steps in your business workflow.

In the event of a business interruption, identifying your position in the supply chain and sustaining operations can be challenging. If the disruption continues, maintaining business continuity becomes critical. Once systems and data are restored, addressing backlogs and establishing future operational protocols are essential.

Ransomware ranks only behind receivership in terms of its capacity to incapacitate a business.

The NCSC is the UK National Cyber Security Centre. They provide cyber security guidance and support, helping to make the UK the safest place to live and work online. They have defined a Cyber Incident Response procedure and they have approved and accredited suppliers to provide this service.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/

As a recognised Assured Service Provider by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Zensec provide comprehensive cyber risk management services that are designed to Protect, Detect & Mitigate cyber security threats across the UK.

Report Fraud is the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Whether you have been scammed, defrauded, or experienced cybercrime in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, Report Fraud offers a central point of contact for information on fraud and financially motivated cybercrime.

https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

Facing genuine pressure, there's a crucial decision to make - one that could rescue your organisation from weeks of operational standstill, reputation damage, and client data loss. Yet, the probability of a favourable outcome remains slim, emphasising the importance of engaging a specialised ransomware incident response team. They are your most viable recourse for navigating a ransomware incident.

The NCSC have documented the deliberations for paying ransomware: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/ransomware/home

Important Reminder: It is a criminal offense to pay money to people who are subject to financial sanctions. The list of who is subject to financial sanctions is constantly changing.

The latest iteration can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-consolidated-list-of-targets

ThreeAM operators typically gain remote access through compromised user accounts, phishing attacks, or exploiting vulnerabilities in remote services like RDP. Once inside, they manually deploy the ransomware to maximise impact.

After gaining initial remote access, ThreeAM attackers perform lateral movement by compromising additional user accounts or virtual machines. This allows them to navigate through the network, escalate privileges, and deploy ransomware more broadly across the target environment.