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A Story of Survival and Recovery from a Ransomware Attack

Picture of Carmine J. Corridore

Carmine J. Corridore

Carmine Corridore is a seasoned professional in the I.T. industry with over 30 years of experience. He has held various positions from field tech, team lead, service manager, project manager, and Director of I.T. Currently, he serves as the Client Facing Chief Strategy Officer and President of Underdog Cyber Defense. Carmine is a Rotarian and serves on the local chamber board and several committees. Carmine believes in giving back to the community, and he accomplishes that through donations and sourcing local talent and goods. Carmine is Credentialed and Certified in Cybersecurity.

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October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month: A Story of Survival and Recovery from a Ransomware Attack

In the quiet town of Middleton, a small but thriving flower shop has become a beloved part of the community. Owned by Olivia, the shop had blossomed from a modest, local business to an online success, delivering beautiful bouquets to customers far beyond the town’s borders.

But as her business grew, so did the risks.

The Cyberattack That Shattered Everything

One morning in early October, Olivia was sitting in her office, preparing for another busy day, when she saw an email with the subject line: “Urgent: Payment Information Needed.”

Without thinking twice, Olivia clicked the email. It looked legitimate—just another order from her website—but her screen went black within seconds. Then, a new message appeared:

“Your files have been encrypted. Pay $10,000 in Bitcoin, or your data will be permanently deleted.”

At first, Olivia thought it had to be a joke. But everything was gone when she tried to access her customer records, accounting files, and order history.

As the reality of the situation set in, panic took over. How could this have happened? She had antivirus software; wasn’t that enough?

The Fallout: A Business on the Brink

The days that followed were a blur of fear and confusion. Olivia couldn’t fulfill any orders without access to her systems. Loyal customers called asking why their flowers hadn’t arrived. The stress of lost revenue and damaging her reputation began to weigh heavily on her.

But worse than the financial loss was the breach of trust. Olivia prided herself on building strong relationships with her customers, many of whom were repeat buyers. All of their information—email addresses, home addresses, even credit card details—was at risk.

“I couldn’t believe this was happening to me,” Olivia thought. “I’m just a small business owner. Why would hackers come after me?”

It turns out Olivia’s flower shop was the perfect target. Cybercriminals often target small businesses because they know they’re less likely to have strong cybersecurity measures. Olivia’s flower shop had unknowingly become an easy mark.

The Emotional Toll: Feeling Powerless

Olivia felt helpless. Every day without access to her systems meant another day of lost revenue, mounting complaints, and a growing sense of failure.

As a small business owner, she had poured her heart into her shop—spending late nights arranging flowers, handling the books, and growing her brand. In a matter of minutes, it felt like all that hard work was slipping away.

She wasn’t just dealing with the technical problems of the hack. She was grappling with the emotional fallout:

  • The fear of losing her livelihood.
  • The guilt of exposing her customers to risk.
  • The frustration of not knowing how to fix it.

The Recovery: A Painful Lesson in Cybersecurity

Ironically, October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month—a time meant to raise awareness of exactly the type of attack Olivia had just suffered. But she never thought she needed to worry about ransomware or phishing scams. She had been focused on running her business, not on cybersecurity.

After days of trying to fix the situation herself, Olivia realized that ignoring cybersecurity had been her biggest mistake. There was no quick solution, no easy fix. She had to rebuild—slowly and with a stronger foundation.

  1. Learning from the Attack

In the following weeks, Olivia began educating herself on cybersecurity best practices. Like so many others, she learned that her business was a target of a phishing email, a tactic hackers use to trick people into clicking malicious links.

Olivia’s email was compromised because of weak security measures, and once the hacker gained access, they planted ransomware that encrypted all her data.

She realized that prevention is critical. Regularly backing up data, using strong passwords, and being cautious about suspicious emails are just the beginning.

  1. Rebuilding the Business

The process of getting her shop back on its feet was slow. Olivia had to restore systems from whatever backups she had but could not recover all the data. Customer trust had been shaken, and some data was permanently lost.

But this time, Olivia approached her business with a new mindset. She wasn’t just a florist anymore—a business owner who knew how important it was to protect her flowers and entire livelihood.

 

Moving Forward: Cybersecurity is Everyone’s Responsibility

Olivia’s story is common. Every day, small businesses like hers are targeted by cyberattacks. The problem is that most don’t realize the threat until it’s too late.

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take the time to think about your business. Are you protecting yourself from potential threats? Do you have the proper safeguards in place? If a cybercriminal targeted you today, would you be prepared?

Practical Steps to Protect Your Business

Here are a few lessons from Olivia’s story that every small business owner can follow:

  1. Be Wary of Phishing: Double-check the sender’s email address and be cautious of unexpected attachments or links.
  2. Backup Your Data: Regular, automated backups will ensure you can recover your files in case of an attack.
  3. Use Strong Passwords: Implement unique, complex passwords for each account and enable two-factor authentication.
  4. Keep Software Updated: Outdated Software is a common entry point for attackers. Make sure you’re always using the latest versions.
  5. Train Your Team: Cybersecurity is a team effort. Ensure your employees know the risks and how to spot potential threats.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Olivia’s experience was a harsh reminder that cybersecurity isn’t optional—it’s essential. Don’t wait until your business is attacked—start taking action today.

At Underdog Cyber Defense, we help small businesses like yours stay protected with our Purple Team approach, combining IT support with advanced cybersecurity solutions. Whether you’re just starting or looking to bolster your defenses, we ensure you never have to go through what Olivia did.

Ready to take the next step? Contact us today for a free strategy discovery session, and let us help you secure your business’s future.

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Carmine Corridore
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