Ransomware attacks keep getting smarter and more damaging. In this ransomware readiness checklist 2025 edition, you get a clear step-by-step plan to stay ahead of today’s attackers. We’ll walk through five core steps to lock down your defenses, detect threats fast, and recover without drama.
There’s a reason ransomware tops your threat list. Affiliates and initial access brokers drive targeted intrusions that bleed your operations dry.
Ever wonder why breaches seem to happen overnight? Affiliates partner with ransomware-as-a-service operators to deliver payloads on high-value targets. Initial access brokers (IABs) scout weak credentials or exploitable services, then sell that access to affiliates. That split of labor speeds up attacks and shrinks the time you have to detect them.
To dive deeper into evolving threat models, check out ransomware trends in 2025 attacker tactics and defensive countermeasures.
Let’s lay the groundwork first. If you don’t know what’s out there, you can’t protect it.
Attackers start with internet scanning tools to discover exposed endpoints. Shodan and Censys index devices, web apps, and services that let criminals pinpoint your gateways.
Here’s a quick list of tools that mirror attacker scans
Schedule attack surface management (ASM) scans every week to catch new exposures. Harden Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and VPN endpoints by limiting access, enforcing MFA (multi factor authentication), and blocking traffic from high-risk locations. Review scan results and patch or remove exposed services.
Pair this with ongoing detection by reading continuous ransomware monitoring why MDR beats legacy defenses.
Backups are your safety net in a ransomware crisis. Here’s the thing: attackers know this and try to tamper with snapshots or Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) before they encrypt.
Criminals run vssadmin commands and custom PowerShell scripts to delete or corrupt your shadow copies. That leaves you with no clean fallback and forces you to negotiate.
If you host backups in the cloud, check out protecting cloud workloads from ransomware real tools and configs that work.
Identity is the new perimeter. Let’s be honest: stolen credentials are gold for attackers.
Attackers bombard users with MFA fatigue (push bombing) to trick them into approving fake requests. They also steal service tickets through Kerberoasting and hijack NTLM sessions to escalate privileges.
Locking down credentials also helps you meet the requirements in ransomware and regulatory compliance why agencies and contractors must prepare.
Ransomware is more than data encryption. Here’s the thing: it often takes a quiet detour to exfiltrate data before the final blow.
Attackers use tools like rclone and 7zip to package and upload data to cloud storage. They abuse PsExec and living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) to move laterally.
Unchecked exfil adds to the hidden costs of ransomware beyond the ransom note.
Even the best defenses need practice. Let’s face it: drills can feel like busywork, but they reveal gaps and boost your team’s confidence.
Purple teams combine red and blue skills to simulate attacks using frameworks like Atomic Red Team or Caldera. Track key metrics such as mean time to detect (MTTD), mean time to recover (MTTR), and attacker dwell time.
Follow our step-by-step approach in running a ransomware attack simulation guide for red and blue teams.
Keep an up-to-date attack surface map with weekly scans to spot new exposures.
Verify backup integrity and recovery steps by testing immutable snapshots quarterly.
Reduce risk by granting admin roles only when needed and enforcing MFA for all privileged users.
Map each detection to MITRE ATT&CK tactics to ensure you cover every stage of a ransomware kill chain.
Run purple team exercises every quarter to measure and improve your team’s detection and response metrics.
A solid ransomware readiness checklist helps you avoid crippling downtime. It often costs more to recover than to implement these steps upfront.
Quzara Cybertorch MDR gives 24x7 monitoring and TTP detection (tactics, techniques, and procedures). It also handles automated containment and guided recovery to cut impact. Pair this approach with your incident response playbook.