Ransomware attacks have become one of the most financially devastating cyber threats, with businesses facing skyrocketing ransom demands and costly recovery efforts. In 2024, the average ransom payment surged to $2 million, highlighting the growing need for robust backup solutions.
To ensure your organization can recover from a ransomware attack, we’ve examined effective recovery strategies that help minimize disruption and strengthen defenses against future breaches.
What is Ransomware Recovery?
Ransomware recovery is the process of restoring systems, data, and operations after a cyberattack. In these attacks, cybercriminals encrypt files or lock systems and demand payment for access. In 2024, the average ransom payment soared to $2 million—five times higher than the $400,000 average in 2023, showing just how bold these attacks have become.
Backups are also a prime target, with 76% of ransomware attacks successfully compromising stored data. Businesses face even greater disruption and financial strain when these backups are targeted. Recovery from a ransomware attack involves an extensive program of isolating infected systems, assessing the damage, and restoring data. Because of the recovery involved, businesses with a well-structured response plan will recover faster and limit operational downtime.
Why Ransomware is So Damaging
Ransomware is one of the most disruptive cyber threats, crippling businesses by locking critical systems and data. Without access, operations halt, affecting everything from financial transactions to customer services. Attackers often apply double extortion tactics, demanding payment to restore files and prevent stolen data from being leaked.
Even when businesses regain control, recovery costs, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties create long-term setbacks. It’s estimated that 51% of businesses that suffer data loss close their doors within two years, and 93% of businesses that lose data for longer than 10 days file for bankruptcy within a year.
The increasing sophistication of ransomware means attacks are harder to detect and mitigate, forcing organizations to divert significant resources to cybersecurity and response efforts.
Ransomware Recovery Costs 51.6% Businesses More Than $10k Per Day
To determine the average ransomware recovery cost per day, we leveraged AI-driven audience profiling of 7,215 U.S. business leaders. This AI-driven analysis synthesized insights from real-world discussions to provide a statistically confident view of the financial impact organizations face when responding to ransomware incidents.
The findings reveal that ransomware recovery costs can escalate quickly, placing immense pressure on businesses. More than half (51.6%) incurred daily expenses exceeding $10,000, making even short-term disruptions financially draining.
For 37.6%, costs soared past $500,000 per day, highlighting the catastrophic impact on larger organizations or those facing prolonged attacks. Meanwhile, only 10.8% managed to keep costs under $10,000 per day, reinforcing how rare it is to recover without significant financial strain.
With over half of businesses incurring daily ransomware recovery costs exceeding $10,000—and nearly 38% facing costs beyond $500,000 per day—the financial toll of an attack can be catastrophic.
Aaron Jordan, Director of Sales Engineering at Infrascale, highlights the importance of planning for recovery before an attack occurs:
“Many organizations focus on preventing ransomware attacks, but few dedicate the same attention to recovery. The reality is that businesses need a structured ransomware response plan that ensures minimal downtime, predictable recovery costs, and a clear path to restoring operations without paying the ransom.”
Without a proactive recovery strategy in place, companies risk prolonged disruptions, skyrocketing costs, and reputational damage that can be difficult to overcome.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Ransomware?
Ransomware recovery is rarely immediate, with businesses taking an average of 24 days to restore normal operations following an attack. Dwell time—the period attackers remain undetected in a system—once averaged over 200 days, giving cybercriminals ample time to plan their attack.
However, Secureworks reports that ransomware is now deployed within 24 hours in more than half of cases and within just five hours in 10% of incidents. This accelerated timeline leaves little room for response. Without a well-structured recovery plan, delays increase, compounding financial losses and operational disruption.
What Is The Solution To Ransomware?
No single solution can eliminate ransomware risk. Effective recovery depends on proactive protections, rapid containment, strategic decision-making, and long-term resilience to minimize disruption and financial loss.
Pre Ransomware Attack Measures
Preventing ransomware requires layered security measures that reduce the likelihood of an attack and limit its impact. Regular software updates, network segmentation, and endpoint protection help close vulnerabilities before cybercriminals exploit them.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and strong password policies make unauthorized access more difficult, while security awareness training ensures employees recognize phishing attempts—the most common entry point for ransomware.
Automated threat detection and continuous monitoring provide early warnings, allowing IT teams to respond before an attack spreads. Air-gapped and immutable backups serve as a last line of defense, ensuring recovery options remain intact even if primary systems are compromised.
While no single solution can fully eliminate ransomware threats, having a well-structured recovery plan is the best defense against extended downtime and financial loss.
As Jordan explains:
“Backups remain the best insurance policy against ransomware—but only if they are properly implemented. Too often, organizations discover too late that their backups were compromised, outdated, or incomplete. Immutable storage, air-gapped backups, and frequent testing should be non-negotiable components of any ransomware recovery plan.”
The best way to neutralize ransomware is to ensure that businesses can restore their data instantly, without needing to engage with attackers or pay a ransom.
Ransomware Attack Containment and Assessment
Once ransomware is detected, swift action is critical to prevent further spread. Immediate containment measures include isolating infected devices, disabling network access, and blocking command-and-control communications.
Security teams must identify the entry point, assess the scope of the attack, and determine whether backups remain intact. Forensic analysis of system logs and endpoint activity helps uncover how the ransomware spread and whether data exfiltration occurred.
Organizations should also notify internal stakeholders and cybersecurity partners to coordinate response efforts. Delays in containment increase downtime and financial losses, making rapid assessment and decisive action essential for minimizing disruption.
Negotiation with Threat Actors
Negotiating with ransomware attackers remains a contentious decision. Despite 41% of organizations having a ‘Do-Not-Pay’ policy, 80% still choose to pay a ransom to end the attack and recover data. However, paying does not guarantee success—21% of businesses that pay the ransom never regain their data.
Before engaging, organizations should assess all recovery options, including backups and decryption tools. Cybersecurity experts and legal teams can help weigh the risks, while law enforcement or specialized negotiators may assist in communication.
Given the uncertainty of ransom payments, businesses must approach negotiations cautiously, ensuring every step aligns with legal, ethical, and operational considerations.
Technical Recovery
Our data reveals that businesses take a range of actions following a ransomware attack, but recovery priorities are far from uniform.
Cybersecurity assessments are the most common step, with 20.9% of our audience conducting full security evaluations to identify vulnerabilities and prevent future breaches. This suggests that while many businesses focus on improving security post-attack, most do not take immediate action to restore lost data.
Only 13.4% of U.S. business leaders involved law enforcement, reflecting ongoing concerns about legal complexities or reputational damage associated with reporting incidents. Meanwhile, 11.9% implemented system updates, and 11.3% improved backup solutions, highlighting a focus on preventing repeat attacks. However, actual data recovery efforts remain relatively low—just 10.2% took dedicated steps to retrieve encrypted or deleted files, reinforcing how challenging full restoration can be.
Financial and operational responses varied, with 10.4% filing insurance claims to offset costs, while 8.6% prioritized employee training, recognizing human error as a key risk factor.
Surprisingly, only 3.4% developed a communication strategy, and just 2.9% focused on public relations management, leaving many businesses unprepared for the reputational fallout of an attack.
Notification and Disclosure
Deciding when and how to disclose a ransomware attack isn’t always straightforward. Every U.S. state has its own data breach notification laws, each with different requirements. In California, for example, businesses must notify affected residents “in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay”.
Failing to report an attack can lead to legal penalties, lawsuits, and reputational fallout. Delayed or vague disclosures also erode trust. Internally, clear communication with employees and stakeholders is just as important, ensuring a coordinated response that minimizes further disruption.
Forensic Investigation
A forensic investigation is critical after a ransomware attack, uncovering how the breach happened and whether data was stolen.
Security teams dig into system logs, endpoint activity, and network traffic, tracing the attacker’s path and assessing the damage. Digital forensics tools help pinpoint malware execution, uncover backdoors, and detect lingering threats.
By understanding how attackers infiltrated the network, businesses can close security gaps and prevent repeat incidents. If data was exfiltrated, reporting obligations may apply, which add legal and regulatory challenges.
Ransomware Recovery Incident Hardening
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) highlights incident hardening as a key step in preventing future ransomware attacks.
Strengthening defenses starts with finding security gaps and reinforcing protections to make systems more resilient. This can mean applying security patches, tightening access controls, or enabling real-time monitoring to detect threats early.
A well-practiced incident response plan ensures teams can react quickly, while network segmentation and zero-trust policies add extra layers of protection. Organizations that take a proactive approach to security improve their ability to withstand and contain ransomware threats.
Building a Culture of Resilience
A strong security culture helps businesses stay ahead of ransomware threats. When employees understand cybersecurity risks, they become active participants in security efforts. Regular security training, phishing simulations, and clear incident response protocols give staff the tools and knowledge to effectively recognize and respond to threats.
Leadership plays a key role by prioritizing cybersecurity investments and encouraging a proactive approach to risk management. Cross-department collaboration also ensures that security practices are integrated into daily operations, and not just confined to IT. By embedding cybersecurity into their culture, companies strengthen their ability to detect and contain ransomware threats before they escalate.
While cybersecurity tools and technical defenses play a crucial role in ransomware mitigation, organizational culture is just as important. Employees remain the first line of defense, and leadership must prioritize resilience strategies that go beyond IT measures.
Jordan reinforces this point:
“Cyber resilience isn’t just about having the right technology—it’s about building a mindset across the entire organization. A business that invests in security awareness training, response planning, and proactive recovery strategies is far less likely to suffer catastrophic ransomware consequences.”
A strong security culture ensures that teams respond swiftly and effectively, reducing the likelihood of human error and strengthening overall business continuity efforts.
Key Features of Ransomware Recovery Solutions
Ransomware recovery solutions play a vital role in restoring data and improving security. Here are some of the most effective solutions:
- Automated backups enable quick data restoration and reduce downtime. Immutable storage ensures that files remain unchanged, while air-gapped backups add an extra layer of protection by keeping copies offline.
- Advanced threat detection helps security teams identify suspicious activity before ransomware spreads. AI-powered monitoring tracks network behavior in real time, and endpoint protection tools isolate affected devices to prevent further impact.
- A centralized incident response platform improves coordination by giving teams real-time visibility into affected systems. Compliance and reporting tools support regulatory requirements and streamline documentation.
- A proactive recovery strategy combines rapid data restoration, continuous monitoring, and layered security measures.
Ransomware Recovery Case Studies
Ransomware attacks affect organizations differently, depending on their level of preparedness. These two real-world cases demonstrate how backup strategies and disaster recovery solutions are central to restoring operations efficiently.
The UVA Alumni Association experienced a ransomware attack that encrypted critical data, disrupting essential functions. Their ability to restore data without paying a ransom came down to a strong backup and disaster recovery solution, which ensured that all necessary files were protected and readily accessible.
This quick response allowed them to continue operations without extended downtime or financial losses. Their case highlights the importance of regular backup testing and a structured recovery plan, ensuring that systems can be restored with minimal delay. By having a disaster recovery framework in place, businesses can confidently respond to cyber threats while maintaining control over their data.
Pervasive Solutions, an IT service provider, saw how preparedness directly impacts recovery time. Two of their clients faced ransomware attacks with dramatically different results.
One client, lacking a disaster recovery system, required two weeks and 320 man-hours to restore operations fully, relying on manual efforts to reconstruct lost files and rebuild systems.
Another client, using Infrascale’s Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), had a much smoother recovery. With cloud-based backups and automated restoration capabilities, this client fully recovered in under an hour with minimal effort, preventing significant operational disruptions. This comparison underscores how investing in disaster recovery tools can make the difference between a drawn-out recovery and a seamless restoration process.
Best Practices for Ransomware Recovery Resource Links
Access to expert guidance is essential when building a ransomware recovery strategy. These international cybersecurity agencies provide valuable insights, frameworks, and best practices to help businesses enhance security and response plans:
- The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) provides comprehensive guidance on ransomware prevention and response, including an emergency response guide and a 24/7 hotline for immediate assistance.
- The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security offers resources to help Canadians understand ransomware threats and implement protective measures, such as prevention and recovery guidelines.
- Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) focuses on promoting information and cyber security through preventive measures, providing assistance and information on ransomware prevention and response.
- The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in the Netherlands publishes detailed ransomware incident response plans and factsheets, offering guidance on prevention and effective response strategies.
- New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides guidance on ransomware prevention and response, including government-issued advice on handling cyber ransom payments.
- The Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) distributes ransomware recovery tools and user manuals, assisting victims in data recovery without paying a ransom.
- The Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) offers incident handling services and guidance for civilian entities and critical infrastructures, working to enhance public awareness and defense against ransomware attacks.
- Japan’s National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC) operates the Government Security Operation Coordination team (GSOC), providing alerts and advice to governmental entities upon detecting suspicious activities.
Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency (CSA) maintains a ransomware portal offering alerts, advisories, and resources to help organizations prevent and respond to ransomware incidents.
About the data
Sourced from an independent sample of 7,215 business leaders in the U.S. expressed opinions across X, Quora, Reddit, TikTok and Threads. Responses are collected within a 65% confidence interval and 17% margin of error. Engagement estimates how many people in the location are participating. Demographics are determined using many features, including name, location and self-disclosed description. Privacy is preserved using k-anonymity and differential privacy. Results are based on what people describe online — questions were not posed to the people in the sample.
