Ransomware: what Kent businesses need to know

For a small or medium sized business in Kent, ransomware is not an abstract risk. It is a realistic threat that can shut down your operations, expose your client data, and cost you significantly more to recover from than it would have cost to prevent.

This article explains what ransomware actually is, how it gets in, what happens when it does, and what you can do about it.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts your files, making them inaccessible, and then demands payment, usually in cryptocurrency, in exchange for the decryption key that would restore access.

When ransomware executes successfully, it moves fast. Within minutes it can encrypt files across your network, including shared drives, cloud synced folders, and connected backup drives. Once files are encrypted, they are unreadable without the key, and the key is held by the attacker.

Modern ransomware attacks often involve a second form of extortion alongside the encryption: attackers copy your data before encrypting it, then threaten to publish it publicly if you do not pay. This means that even businesses with good backups can face pressure through the threat of data exposure.

How does ransomware get in?

The most common entry points are not sophisticated. They are the same basic weaknesses that allow most cyber attacks to succeed:

Phishing emails A staff member receives a convincing email with a malicious link or attachment. They click it, and the ransomware payload is downloaded and executed. This remains the single most common initial access method.

Compromised credentials An attacker obtains a username and password (from a data breach on another service, through a phishing attack, or by simply guessing a weak password) and uses it to log in to your systems. Without multi-factor authentication, a stolen password is often all they need.

Unpatched software Vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications are regularly discovered and exploited. Attackers actively scan for businesses running software with known vulnerabilities. Keeping systems patched closes off the entry points they rely on.

Remote desktop access exposed to the internet Many businesses use Remote Desktop Protocol to allow remote access to office computers. When it is exposed directly to the internet without additional security controls, it is actively targeted by attackers scanning for open ports.

What happens during an attack

Ransomware attackers often move quietly through a network for days or weeks before triggering the encryption. During that time they are mapping what is there, elevating their access privileges, and ensuring they can reach as much of your data as possible when they do strike.

When the attack executes, the encryption happens quickly and can spread across your entire network if devices are not isolated fast enough. You may first notice it through files that will not open, error messages, or a ransom note that appears on screen.

At this point, the clock is running on several fronts: the spread of the encryption, your window to contain it, the 72-hour ICO notification deadline if personal data is involved, and the attacker's own deadline for payment.

Should you pay the ransom?

The advice from the National Cyber Security Centre, Action Fraud, and the vast majority of security professionals is: do not pay. There are several reasons for this.

Paying does not guarantee recovery. Attackers do not always provide working decryption keys after payment, and even when they do, the process of restoring from an attacker-provided key is slow and unreliable. UK organisations who recovered from ransomware in 2025 were more than three times more likely to have restored from backups than to have paid the ransom, and those that used backups recovered more quickly and completely.

Paying marks you as a target willing to pay. Businesses that pay are significantly more likely to be attacked again.

Payment may have legal implications. Depending on which criminal group is behind the attack, paying a ransom could potentially breach financial sanctions. Your cyber insurer needs to be involved in this decision before any payment is made.

What protects you from ransomware?

The good news is that the controls that prevent ransomware are not exotic or expensive. They are the same basic security measures that protect against most cyber threats:

Multi-factor authentication on all accounts MFA stops attackers who have obtained a password from being able to use it. It is the single most impactful control for preventing the credential compromise that enables many ransomware attacks.

Up to date patching Keeping operating systems and software patched removes the known vulnerabilities that ransomware groups actively target. This should be systematic and monitored, not reliant on users remembering to click update.

Email filtering and endpoint protection Good email filtering catches most phishing attempts before they reach staff inboxes. Modern endpoint protection can detect and stop ransomware behaviour even when a malicious file is opened.

Immutable off site backups The difference between a ransomware attack that is a crisis and one that is a catastrophe is often whether you have clean, tested backups that the ransomware could not reach. Backups need to be stored separately from your live environment, ideally in a location and format that an attacker cannot access and encrypt alongside everything else. This is called immutable backup storage, and it is an increasingly important part of any serious backup strategy.

Least privilege access If every staff member has access to every file on the network, a single compromised account can encrypt everything. Limiting access to what each person actually needs reduces the impact of any attack.

Staff awareness Since phishing is the most common entry point, staff who know what to look for and what to do when they receive a suspicious email are a meaningful layer of defence that no technology fully replaces.

What to do if you are hit

Isolate affected devices from the network immediately: unplug the network cable or disable Wi-Fi. Do not shut the devices down if you can avoid it, as forensic evidence may be lost. Call your IT provider, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, notify your cyber insurer, and report to the ICO within 72 hours if personal data has been compromised.

Do not pay without speaking to law enforcement and your insurer first. And do not reconnect affected devices to the network until they have been properly cleaned or rebuilt.

Is your business protected against ransomware?

CT1 Technologies helps businesses across Canterbury and Kent put the controls in place that prevent ransomware from succeeding, and ensures that if an attack does occur, recovery is fast and complete rather than catastrophic.

If you would like an honest review of your current security and backup setup, get in touch and we will tell you where you stand, and what, if anything, needs to change.

CT1 Technologies provides managed IT support, cybersecurity, and cloud services to businesses across Canterbury and Kent.