An infection with Arcus Media, like any ransomware, results in your systems being locked and your data encrypted. Victims are then presented with a ransom demand, often in cryptocurrency, to restore access and prevent stolen data from being leaked online.
If you discover a physical break-in at your offices, your first thought would be to call the police, touch nothing and let them search for clues. A cyber-attack requires the same logic.
Your environment is a CRIME SCENE. It's imperative for the environment to remain untouched so that a forensic investigation can be carried out. This is not a job for your IT team or MSP. There are Digital Forensic specialists available 24/7 who can assist you.
First detected in early 2024, Arcus Media is a sophisticated ransomware operation known for its highly targeted attacks and ability to bypass traditional security measures. While its origins remain uncertain, cyber analysts have noted similarities between Arcus Media and previous high-profile ransomware groups, indicating it may be an evolution of an existing threat actor.
Arcus Media primarily targets Windows-based enterprise environments, leveraging phishing emails, compromised remote desktop protocol (RDP) access, and software vulnerabilities to infiltrate networks. Once inside, the ransomware spreads laterally, encrypting files and exfiltrating sensitive data. Victims are then pressured to pay a ransom under the threat of public data exposure.
Given its advanced tactics and swift adoption of new exploitation techniques, Arcus Media poses a significant risk to organisations worldwide. Cyber security experts continue to track its activities, urging businesses to implement robust security measures to defend against this evolving ransomware threat.
Arcus Media employs a double extortion strategy, encrypting files while also exfiltrating sensitive business and personal data. This tactic forces victims to consider not only system recovery but also the potential fallout from having their confidential information published on dark web forums or sold to other cyber criminals.
Once deployed, the ransomware encrypts critical data and disables security software to hinder recovery efforts. In some cases, Arcus Media has also been observed using distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks as an additional pressure tactic.
Arcus Media is a relatively new yet rapidly expanding ransomware threat. To date they have successfully claimed 94 victims, with attacks targeting sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies.
Solace Cyber’s track record includes hundreds of successful response recoveries, providing Digital Forensic Incident Response services, 24x7x365.
“Cyberattacks have led to cancelled operations in London hospitals, highlighting vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure”
Solace Global was founded in 2010 as global experts in risk management and security, offering services such as Travel, Crisis, and Offshore Risk Management. With a 24/7 Security Operations Centre and an in-house intelligence team providing daily and weekly reports, Solace Global is accredited to ISO 27001, 14001, 45001, and 9001 standards.
Solace Cyber was established in 2021, specialising in Cyber breaches, particularly Digital Forensics and Incident Response, Ransomware, Risk Management, and Information Security, along with Managed Security Services. The leadership team collectively possess over 20 years of experience in the IT and security industry. Solace Cyber is accredited to ISO 27001.
s
%+
A forensic analysis needs to be meticulous and a clean restore and recovery requires a wealth of experience not normally available in an in-house team who must provide a broader range of IT support skills:
Solace Cyber was established precisely for this scenario. We have a well-defined process for handling cyber-attacks like Arcus Media, which involves a 6-step approach:
It includes a thorough digital forensic analysis from step 2 where the output becomes a central component of business recovery. This is because understanding the attack is of critical importance:
It is critical that the analysis of digital evidence is carried out to an agreed plan. This will have been designed to provide the best and earliest chance of discovering a root cause, which is essential to inform remediation/eradication and recovery as well as supporting a legal take-down case if this is applicable. A legal take-down means we can assist in the legal enforcement that stops the criminals from publishing the data, thus undermining the ransom notice.
Solace’s Digital Forensic and Incident Response teams maintain consistent communication throughout. Dedicated Incident Managers and technical engineering leads provide updates during the Cyber Incident Response journey, utilising risk registers and working within change management processes, all from triage through to post-incident, delivering successful business recovery.
Solace Cybers’ support continues beyond the recovery process. Once your business is back up and running, we work with you to transform your cyber security through a threat-informed approach utilising our 9-step approach Solace Global - Cyber 9 Step Process.
Yes, Arcus Media is a ransomware group operating under a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. This format allows affiliates to deploy Arcus Media's brand of ransomware tools in exchange for a share of the ransom payments.
The Arcus Media ransomware entered your system by one of several ways:
We recommend you adopt policies to:
After recovering from Arcus Media, Solace Cyber recommends that you update your business continuity plan to account for lessons learnt during this attack & recovery.
Most ransomware breaches cost approx £500K with smaller email data breaches in the realm of £50K. There is a dichotomy of preserving the environment for forensics or recovering it quickly for less business interruption. The cost increases the longer it takes to identify the breach and resolve it.
A Cyber Security insurance claim is complex and includes reasonable expenses to investigate and remediate an incident along with cover for legal, business interruption, criminal liability, employment liability and ransom policies. The insurance industry is liable to deliver the business recovery BUT Cyber insurance is viewed as volatile within the industry and many insurance policies are not being validated correctly.
Navigating through this requires experience, which is where Solace Cyber can help.
Facing genuine pressure, there's a crucial decision to make - one that could rescue your organisation from weeks of operational standstill, reputation damage, and client data loss. Yet, the probability of a favourable outcome remains slim, emphasising the importance of engaging a specialised ransomware incident response team. They are your most viable recourse for navigating a ransomware incident.
The NCSC have documented the deliberations for paying ransomware: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/ransomware/home
Important Reminder: It is a criminal offense to pay money to people who are subject to financial sanctions. The list of who is subject to financial sanctions is constantly changing.
The latest iteration can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-consolidated-list-of-targets
Almost certainly, yes. It is possible that some of the data lost is classified as “Personal Data” to your customer. You have a legal obligation to protect that data but it may have been lost. You may also need to advise the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk/.
Your insurer/legal council will advise you on what to do and how to proceed with this.
Solace has experience working with insurers and lawyers and can help in this relationship at this stressful time.
A ransomware attack poses the biggest threat to your business by:
If you have a business interruption, how do you know where you are in your supply chain for any one item and how do you carry on with your business? If it persists for a long time, how do you maintain your operation? And when your systems and data are restored, how do you backfill with any work you did and how do you operate going forward?
Ransomware is second only to receivership for debilitating a business.
Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Whether you have been scammed, defrauded, or experienced cybercrime in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, Action Fraud offers a central point of contact for information on fraud and financially motivated cybercrime.
If your systems are showing signs of a Arcus Media attack, REMAIN CALM.
YOU MUST NOT TOUCH THEM, RESTORE OR OVERWRITE THE DATA (explanation above).
Contact Solace Cyber on 01202 308818 or complete our form for a call back from one of our experts.
We will act promptly to reduce your business downtime.
Solace Cyber, part of Solace Global, helps companies across the UK recover from ransomware attacks and data breaches.
SOLACE GLOBAL CYBER LTD is registered in England & Wales no. 08830710
Solace Global
Twin Sails House,
W Quay Rd,
Poole, BH15 1JF
United Kingdom
