Baptism by fire: Ransomware Play forced us to 'work hard' for three days and two nights.

They say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” At Blue Dynamic, we couldn’t agree more. In the past few days, we’ve proven that we’re strong — strong enough to withstand even serious turbulence. What are we talking about? Our servers became the target of cyber attackers spreading Play ransomware. And it wasn’t exactly a game we’d buy tickets for with enthusiasm. It was the kind of game that literally kept us awake at night. The “players” behind Play ransomware don’t show up with a cheeky “Hey, let’s play a game.” They go straight for your data — and they’re not afraid to blackmail you. But you know what? We handled it, we protected all our clients, and we came out even stronger. So yes — it has a happy ending, but the road to it wasn’t lined with rose petals.

Cyberattacks are sprouting like mushrooms after the rain, and cybercriminals are as inventive as high schoolers cheating on a math test — in other words, more than enough. Like chameleons, they adapt to the latest security trends and always come up with something new. Ransomware is one of the most common types of cyberattacks, targeting both companies and public institutions.

Three days and two nights – blood, sweat, and tears

Our battle lasted three days and two nights. And we went through it all — the Churchillian way: blood, toil, sweat, and tears. But it has a happy ending. We made it. We learned a lot about ourselves — that we’re stronger than we thought… and also…

• that what normally takes years, you can accomplish in a single night under pressure
• that facing a cyber threat together reveals more about your team than many would like — some offer help, some work themselves to exhaustion, and some mind only their own business
• that you truly understand the meaning of “crisis management” only when you’re in a real crisis
• that even in what looks like a disaster, there’s a seed of something good — perhaps we’ve discovered a new business opportunity – stay tuned
• that calling the police may sound like a good idea at first — but do we really want our remaining working servers to become evidence material?

What we learned from the cyberattack experience

When a cyberattack happens, you’re suddenly faced with a series of questions you never thought you’d have to ask. What is an acceptable risk? And how do you tell it apart from the unacceptable? But you know what? We handled it. We protected our clients from the cyberattack — and that’s what matters most. We’re stronger, we’re better prepared, and we’re still us — only now with a priceless experience under our belt.