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A practical ransomware resilience checklist
Ransomware is a question of when, not if. This is the checklist we use to help businesses prepare to prevent, detect and recover.
HelmTech Team30 April 20261 min read
Ransomware remains one of the most disruptive threats facing UK businesses. The goal isn't just to keep attackers out — it's to make sure that, if they do get in, you can recover quickly and cleanly. Here's the checklist we work through.
Prevent
- Enforce multi-factor authentication everywhere it's available.
- Patch promptly — prioritise internet-facing systems and known-exploited vulnerabilities.
- Apply least privilege so a single compromised account can't reach everything.
Detect
- Monitor continuously. 24/7 detection turns a crisis into a contained incident.
- Watch for the early signs — unusual logins, mass file changes, new admin accounts.
Recover
- Keep immutable, air-gapped backups that ransomware can't reach or alter.
- Test your restores. A backup you've never restored is a hope, not a plan.
- Have a response plan that everyone knows — technical, legal and communications.
Most organisations are stronger on "prevent" than on "recover" — and it's recovery that decides how bad an incident really gets. If you'd like us to pressure-test your resilience, let's talk.
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