During the summer of 2018, an Associate Attorney at Schuchat, Cook & Werner was reviewing documents and emails saved on a USB drive that was submitted by a client. Upon reviewing the documents, the attorney opened an email that was infected with ransomware of the Zyptocrypto Locker variation.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that blocks access to a computer system or data, usually through encryption, until the unsuspecting victim pays the ransom to the cybercriminals. These cyberattacks are growing in popularity and have affected many companies across the globe.
It didn't take long for the office of Schuchat, Cook & Werner to realize their files were under attack. The firm contacted their Managed IT Provider, SumnerOne, within minutes to determine precisely what was going on and how to rectify the issue. Office IT Administrator, Tanya Young, said that the office was panic stricken. At the time, they were unsure of which files had been encrypted, how the attack started, and if the firm would be able to continue normal operations.