# Ransomware Attack: What to Do in the First Hour

- Link: https://dbr-soft.com/ransomware-attack-what-to-do-in-the-first-hour/
- Published: 2026-10-09T15:57:11+00:00
- Author: David Botero

You arrive at work and files won’t open. A message on the screen demands payment.
Your stomach drops. What you do in the next hour can decide whether this is a bad
day or a business-threatening disaster.

Here is a practical checklist.

**Minutes 0–10: Contain**

**Disconnect affected devices from the network.** Unplug the network cable and turn
off Wi-Fi. This stops the malware spreading to file servers and other computers.

**Do not wipe or reinstall anything yet.** Evidence on the machine helps investigators
understand how the attack happened. Where possible, leave devices powered on but
isolated, unless your IT provider advises otherwise.

**Do not log in to anything else from an infected machine.** Assume passwords typed
there may be compromised.

**Minutes 10–25: Alert the right people**

– **Call your IT provider or MSP immediately.** Time matters.

– **Notify your leadership team** and decide who is coordinating the response.

– **Contact your cyber insurance provider.** Many policies require prompt notice
and may provide a breach response team. Calling them first can protect your coverage.

**Minutes 25–45: Assess and protect**

– **Identify what is affected.** Which computers, servers, or cloud accounts show
signs of encryption?

– **Protect your backups.** Disconnect backup drives and confirm that cloud backups
are not being overwritten or deleted.

– **Reset credentials** for administrator accounts and email, from a device you 
know is clean.

– **Disable compromised accounts** if you can identify them.

**Minutes 45–60: Document and plan**

– **Write down everything**: what you saw, when, and what actions were taken.

– **Take photos** of ransom messages (don’t click links in them).

– **Prepare to communicate.** Decide how staff will be informed and who speaks to
customers if needed.

– **Don’t decide on paying the ransom in the heat of the moment.** Payment doesn’t
guarantee recovery, may fund further attacks, and can carry legal implications. 
Make that decision with advisors.

**Reporting obligations**

If personal information may have been exposed, Quebec’s Law 25 may require you to
notify the Commission d’accès à l’information and affected individuals. You can 
also report the incident to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and your local
police.

**The best response is preparation**

Businesses recover fastest when they have:

– Tested, offline or immutable backups

– Multi-factor authentication everywhere

– Up-to-date patches and endpoint detection

– A written incident response plan that everyone has read

**DBR Soft helps businesses build that preparation before they need it. [Contact us to review your backup and response readiness.](https://dbr-soft.com/contact/)**

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