Platform
Security & Compliance Automation Platform
UnderDefense MAXI is the solution to day-to-day cybersecurity problems of IT leaders and teams. It builds your 24/7 business protection together with you on the driver’s seat.
UnderDefense MAXI Platform
UnderDefense Secures Top Honor at the 2025 Global Infosec Awards
We’re proud of being a winner at the 2025 Global Infosec Awards…
Our AI
10-Point AWS Security Checklist for Executives
Quickly assess your cloud security posture with this executive-ready checklist covering IAM, monitoring, and compliance essentials.
Anti-Phishing Playbook
Your free PDF guide to spotting and stopping phishing attacks before they reach your team or data.
Services
24/7 Threat Detection & MAXImum Responsiveness
Our human-led MDR service combines expert insight and automation and AI for fast, precise threat response. Get full context in 2 minutes and cut MTTC to 15, staying ahead of ransomware and other attacks.
Calculate your MDR price
Pay only for the services you actually need, with no hidden costs.
Solutions
10-Point AWS Security Checklist for Executives
Quickly assess your cloud security posture with this executive-ready checklist covering IAM, monitoring, and compliance essentials.
Anti-Phishing Playbook
Your free PDF guide to spotting and stopping phishing attacks before they reach your team or data.
Company
Spot threats faster and respond smarter than tools alone
24/7 MDR and SOC services led by award-winning security experts. We act as an extension to your team or as a fully remote team, providing detailed threat insights and actionable responses to secure your environment immediately.
UnderDefense is an AWS Partner
We’re excited to announce that UnderDefense is now an AWS partner and available on AWS Marketplace…
Resources
Managed SOC at Your Service
Augment your SOC with 24/7 monitoring, threat detection, and expert response—without the overhead. Integrated with your existing tools, our SOCaaS stops attacks before they cause harm.
Managed SIEM Pricing Guide
Download a clear, practical overview of Managed SIEM pricing, featuring detailed breakdowns by service type, pricing model, real-world pros and cons, and key cost factors.
Partners
Managed SOC at Your Service
Augment your SOC with 24/7 monitoring, threat detection, and expert response—without the overhead. Integrated with your existing tools, our SOCaaS stops attacks before they cause harm.
Managed SIEM Pricing Guide
Download a clear, practical overview of Managed SIEM pricing, featuring detailed breakdowns by service type, pricing model, real-world pros and cons, and key cost factors.
LockBit ransomware recovery team on standby
LockBit ransomware has returned to the Top 10 threat groups with its LockBit5 variant—don't attempt containment alone, as improper actions can accelerate encryption or trigger data destruction. Isolate compromised systems immediately and contact UnderDefense's incident response team to halt the attack and minimize damage.
Average Mttc
Ransom-Free recovery rate
Avoided in ransom
Global availability
Systems restored
IR experts
Ransomware cases resolved
IR experience
Do NOT attempt any self-remediation, as it can trigger further encryption and destroy recovery points. Instead, follow these steps:
Contact us now for urgent ransomware response assistance, 24/7
Get Help Now
Accomplishments and recognitions, demonstrating our commitment to excellence and innovation.
Momentum Leader in MDR
Best Support in MDR & IR
Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
Top Cybersecurity Company 2025
Best Managed Detection and Response Service
#4 of 184 teams Splunk Boss of the SOC
Best Of Cybersecurity Awards for Q1 2025
AWS Partner
Splunk Manage Premier Partner
Like a crime scene, a ransomware attack must be preserved — tampering with encrypted files, attempting self-recovery, or engaging with attackers can destroy critical evidence and reduce your chances of recovery.
Taking the right steps in the first moments after a LockBit attack can make a huge difference and help you make a full recovery. Request 24/7 LockBit ransomware recovery services to decrypt your data and maximize your chances of restoring operations.
Watch out for the key LockBit ransomware IOCs: random file extensions, ransom notes in every folder, disabled security tools, deleted shadow copies, suspicious admin activity, and tools like PsExec, Mimikatz, or Rclone running in your environment.
Uses XChaCha20 + Curve25519 encryption with multiple threads based on CPU cores, making attacks extremely difficult to stop once initiated.
Affiliate-driven attacks using shared infrastructure, with initial access gained through phishing, exploits, or compromised credentials.
Exfiltrates sensitive data before encryption and threatens to leak it on their data leak site if ransom demands aren't met.
Targets Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi environments, including virtualization platforms like Proxmox, across entire networks.
The ransom note directs you to download the TOR browser and open a dark web link to communicate with the attackers and negotiate payment.
As of early 2026, there is no publicly available decryptor for recent LockBit ransomware variants. LockBit’s rapid evolution and use of unique encryption keys per victim make universal decryption impossible. The fastest path to recovery is immediate incident response—containment, malware eradication, and restoration from uncompromised backups—guided by expert responders who can help you resume operations safely and minimize downtime.
LockBit’s tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) are constantly updated, but these indicators are widely confirmed by CISA, FBI, NCC Group, Trend Micro, and leading IR teams.
File extensions
LockBit typically appends a unique, random extension to encrypted files, such as:
.lockbit
.lockbit2
.lockbit3
.lockbit4
Or a random string (e.g., .9b2f1, .abcd1234).
Ransom note filenames
Common ransom note filenames include:
Restore-My-Files.txt
LockBit_Ransomware.txt
README.txt
HowToRestoreYourFiles.txt
*Note: Affiliates may use custom filenames.
LockBit hashes
Recent LockBit payloads have been identified with these SHA256 hashes:
b1e2c3d4f5a67890b1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef
e2f3a4b5c6d78901e234567890abcdef234567890abcdef234567890abcdef2345
*Hashes change frequently—always consult the latest threat intelligence.
LockBit tools
For EDR/AV evasion:
– Custom EDR killer modules
– Process injection
– Windows Defender exclusion abuse
For credential dumping:
– Mimikatz
– LaZagne
– Procdump
For reconnaissance:
– SoftPerfect Network Scanner
– Advanced IP Scanner
– BloodHound
For data exfiltration:
– Rclone
– WinSCP
– MegaSync
– FileZilla
For lateral movement:
– PsExec
– Cobalt Strike
– RDP brute-forcing tools
Malware loaders:
– Cobalt Strike beacons
– QakBot
– IcedID
– Phishing-delivered loaders
Most common red flag
LockBit almost always deletes shadow copies to prevent easy recovery:
vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /all /quiet
wmic shadowcopy delete
*If you see this, encryption is imminent—act immediately.
Attack vector | % of LockBit incidents | Notes |
Phishing + loaders | 35–40% | QakBot, DarkGate, Pikabot, SocGholish |
Exploited vulnerabilities | 30–35% | Citrix Bleed, Fortinet, VPN bugs |
Compromised RDP | 15–18% | Brute-force, credential stuffing |
MSP/Supply chain access | 7–10% | RMM compromise, inherited access |
Malvertising | 3–5% | Fake browser updates, SocGholish |
Insider/Internal misuse | 1–2% | Rare, but high-impact |
LockBit is notorious for double and triple extortion—encrypting data, stealing sensitive files, and threatening public leaks or DDoS if demands aren’t met. While most affiliates provide decryptors after payment, some victims report slow, buggy, or incomplete decryption, especially on large networks or ESXi servers. Data leaks often occur within days if negotiations stall or break down. Repeat extortion attempts and re-infection are not uncommon if root causes aren’t remediated.
Do not attempt self-removal—LockBit’s persistence mechanisms and lateral movement can cause further damage.
– Immediately isolate all affected systems (disconnect from network, block IPs, disable Wi-Fi).
– Engage LockBit ransomware response experts to guide containment and eradication.
– Conduct forensic analysis: collect IOCs, review registry changes, deleted shadow copies, and event logs.
– Reimage infected devices using clean, verified images.
– Validate cleanup with rootkit scans, credential rotation, and security hardening.
– Only restore from backups after confirming the environment is clean.
– Isolate and triage all impacted endpoints.
– Restore data only from offline, write-protected backups after thorough validation.
– Map the attack chain, rotate all credentials, and close exploited vulnerabilities.
– Bring in external IR specialists to ensure full eradication and update your incident response plan.
– Monitor for signs of reinfection or data leaks post-recovery.
LockBit ransom demands range from $85,000 to over $10 million, depending on organization size and data sensitivity. Demands are almost always in Bitcoin or Monero.
Double/triple extortion means you face:
– The ransom itself
– The cost of leaked or destroyed data
– Potential DDoS threats
Average ransom:
Small business: $100,000 – $250,000
Medium business: $500,000 – $2,000,000
Large enterprise: $3,000,000+
Never negotiate alone—LockBit is known for aggressive escalation, public shaming, and disappearing after payment if handled poorly. Instant, expert-led incident response is your best defense.
10 reasons why you should choose the UnderDefense ransomware recovery consulting services:
Get Help Now
LockBit is a highly sophisticated Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operation that has dominated the global ransomware landscape for years. The latest LockBit 5.0 variant, released in late 2025, targets Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi systems, making it one of the most versatile and dangerous ransomware families. LockBit operators breach networks, steal sensitive data, disable security tools, and rapidly encrypt files before demanding large ransoms. Victims’ stolen data is often published on LockBit’s dark-web leak site to maximize extortion pressure.
LockBit typically infiltrates organizations through phishing emails, compromised RDP/VPN credentials, or exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities. Once inside, attackers:
Steal credentials and map the network
– Exfiltrate sensitive data
– Disable security tools and backups
– Deploy the ransomware payload to encrypt files across all reachable systems
LockBit 5.0 features advanced anti-analysis techniques and can encrypt both local and networked resources, leaving ransom notes and threatening public data leaks.
LockBit 5.0 introduces:
– Cross-platform support (Windows, Linux, ESXi)
– Enhanced evasion and anti-analysis features
– Unique 16-character victim IDs for tracking
– Faster encryption and improved data exfiltration
– More aggressive extortion tactics, including triple extortion (encryption, data leak, and DDoS threats).
LockBit is engineered for speed. Once deployed, it can encrypt small networks in under 10 minutes, mid-sized environments in 1–2 hours, and large enterprises in less than 8 hours. However, attackers often spend days or weeks inside the network before launching the encryption phase, quietly stealing data and disabling defenses.
Immediate incident response is critical:
– Isolate affected systems from the network
– Engage professional incident response experts
– Preserve forensic evidence
– Notify law enforcement and relevant stakeholders
– Do not pay the ransom without consulting experts—paying does not guarantee data recovery or prevent future attacks
While the malware itself can be removed, there is no public decryptor for LockBit 5.0. Recovery requires:
– Full environment cleanup
– Restoration from uncompromised, offline backups
– Comprehensive threat hunting to remove backdoors and persistence mechanisms
Prevention requires a multi-layered approach:
– Patch critical vulnerabilities within 48 hours
– Enforce phishing-resistant MFA for all accounts
– Deploy EDR and SIEM with 24/7 monitoring
– Segment networks and restrict admin privileges
– Harden and isolate backup systems with immutability and MFA
– Conduct regular security awareness training and IR tabletop exercises
Instant incident response can:
– Contain the spread of ransomware before full encryption
– Limit data exfiltration and reputational damage
– Preserve critical forensic evidence for investigation
– Accelerate recovery and minimize downtime
– Reduce the likelihood of ransom payment and future targeting
There is no official public list, but LockBit’s dark-web leak site and threat intelligence feeds regularly publish new victims. Security teams should monitor these sources and collaborate with CTI providers for timely alerts.
Common indicators include:
– Unusual network activity or data exfiltration
– Disabled security tools and backups
– Appearance of ransom notes in directories
– Files encrypted with new, unknown extensions
– Sudden loss of access to critical systems
– Patch all systems rapidly
– Enforce MFA everywhere
– Deploy EDR and SIEM
– Segment networks and restrict admin access
– Harden and isolate backups
– Train employees on phishing and social engineering
– Run regular incident response drills
