🛑 Ransomware: what to do if your files appear encrypted
You arrive at the office, switch on the computer and find a terrifying message: "Your files have been encrypted. Pay X amount in Bitcoin to recover them". Your documents, photos and databases have strange extensions and will not open.
You have been the victim of ransomware. At ByteChip we handle these crises every day. Stay calm and follow these steps immediately.
1. Immediate emergency plan (ByteChip protocol)
If you suspect you are under attack, every second counts to prevent the virus from spreading across your whole network:
- DISCONNECT THE COMPUTER: Unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi immediately. Do not let the virus reach the server or other computers in the office.
- DO NOT PAY THE RANSOM: Paying does not guarantee they will give you the key (they are criminals) and it confirms to them that you are a "good customer", so they will attack you again in a few months. You would also be funding illicit activities.
- DO NOT KEEP RESTARTING: Some modern ransomware deletes files every time the system restarts.
- TAKE A PHOTO: We need to see the ransom message and the file extension to identify which variant of virus has attacked you.
2. Can the files be recovered without paying?
It depends on the type of virus. There are decryption tools for older variants, but the attacks of 2026 are extremely sophisticated.
- At ByteChip we analyse the type of encryption. If it is a known variant, we use professional tools to try to break the lock.
- If the encryption is state-of-the-art, the only real solution is restoring backups.
3. Your company's life insurance: external backups
Most companies that go under after a ransomware attack do so because their backups were also connected to the network and were encrypted by the virus.
At ByteChip we implement the security 3-2-1 rule:
- 3 copies of your data.
- 2 different media (local disk and cloud).
- 1 copy offline.
How do we manage your backups at ByteChip?
We do not just "make the copy", we manage your peace of mind:
- Immutable backups: We use systems that prevent the virus from deleting or encrypting the backup once it is made.
- 24/7 monitoring: If a backup fails on a Tuesday at 3:00 AM, our team receives an alert and fixes it before you get to the office.
- Restoration tests: A backup that has not been tested is not a backup. Periodically we simulate a disaster to make sure your data is operational again in record time.
🛡️ Don't wait for disaster to protect yourself
If your files have already been encrypted, write to us through the contact form. Acting fast is the difference between losing a day of work and losing your company's whole history.
And if it has not happened to you yet, let us shield your business. At ByteChip we design customised backup plans that make a ransomware attack just a scare and not a tragedy.
📞 ByteChip: your last line of defence.See our backup plans here.