Ransomware is one of today’s most damaging and disruptive cyber threats. Knowing how to detect a ransomware attack early is no longer optional — it’s critical for protecting business operations, data integrity, and customer trust.
Modern ransomware groups operate with precision. They don’t simply launch attacks at random; they observe, infiltrate, and exploit what defenders overlook. Recent cases, such as the Charon ransomware campaign, demonstrate that attackers often succeed not through advanced exploits but by exploiting unmanaged assets and shadow IT systems. These forgotten devices and unmonitored applications create invisible openings that bypass even the most sophisticated perimeter security.
At CyberCyte, our ongoing research into threat exposure consistently confirms that visibility is the key to early ransomware detection. In this article, we examine how ransomware attacks develop, why early detection is crucial, and how Cyber X-CTEM helps organisations to identify and neutralise ransomware before it causes significant harm.
What Is a Ransomware Attack and How Does It Work?
A ransomware attack is a form of cyber extortion where threat actors encrypt an organisation’s data and demand payment, typically in cryptocurrency, to restore access.
But the encryption stage is only the final step of a much longer process.
Before deploying ransomware, attackers quietly infiltrate the network and gather information. They look for weak credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, and misconfigured systems—especially those that lack active monitoring. During this “silent phase,” ransomware operators may move laterally, escalate privileges, and disable security tools to maximise the impact once encryption begins.
Understanding this lifecycle is crucial for recognising early ransomware attacks, as the signs of compromise always show before encryption — if you know where to look.
Why Early Ransomware Detection Is Critical
When ransomware encrypts files, recovery is time-consuming, expensive, and often incomplete. Early detection, on the other hand, can prevent downtime altogether. The key lies in identifying the pre-encryption activities — the attacker reconnaissance, privilege escalation, and lateral movement that occur days or even weeks before the final payload executes.
Traditional security tools are often reactive. They detect malware only after it triggers known signatures, but ransomware behaviour is now less predictable. Attackers utilise legitimate tools like PowerShell or Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to blend in with normal operations. Without ongoing monitoring, these signals are easily overlooked.
That’s why visibility across every device, application, and connection point is vital. When you can see everything, you can detect ransomware before it reaches critical systems.
Case Study: How Charon Ransomware Exploited Visibility Gaps
The Charon ransomware campaign exemplifies how poor asset management can lead to security breaches. Charon targeted vital sectors where continuous operation is critical — healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services. Instead of leveraging zero-day vulnerabilities, it gained access via unmanaged or outdated endpoints that were no longer included in the organisation’s central IT oversight.
Once inside, Charon followed a predictable but devastating sequence:
- Initial Access: Breached forgotten servers and unpatched systems.
- Privilege Escalation: Stole credentials to gain administrative control.
- Lateral Movement: Used unmanaged devices to move deeper into the network.
- Payload Execution: Encrypted essential data and demanded ransom payments.
- Persistence and Evasion: Used encrypted communications to avoid detection.
This case demonstrates a hard truth: ransomware often succeeds not because defences are weak, but because defenders can’t see what’s happening in parts of the network they’ve stopped monitoring.
How to Detect a Ransomware Attack Before Encryption Starts
The most effective way to detect ransomware early is through Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM). CTEM is a proactive approach that offers complete visibility and real-time analysis of all digital assets. Cyber X-CTEM delivers this capability by constantly identifying, assessing, and managing exposures that traditional tools overlook.
1) Discover Unmanaged and Hidden Assets
Every unmonitored asset represents a potential attack entry point. Cyber X-CTEM automatically maps all connected devices, applications, and cloud instances — including shadow IT resources. By creating a live, dynamic inventory, it reveals the hidden areas where ransomware can lurk and offers immediate insight into risk priorities.
2) Monitor Exposure in Real Time
Instead of conducting occasional vulnerability scans, CTEM monitors continuously. It detects configuration changes, expired certificates, and outdated software that could indicate ransomware staging activity. This constant surveillance enables teams to act before vulnerabilities develop into breaches.
3) Correlate Security Signals Across Platforms
Cybersecurity teams often deal with data fragmentation, as each tool produces its own alerts. Cyber X-CTEM integrates with platforms such as Microsoft Defender, CrowdStrike, Tenable, and ServiceNow to unify this intelligence. By correlating alerts, CTEM uncovers suspicious behaviour patterns that individual tools might miss, reducing noise and enhancing response accuracy.
4) Restrict Execution with Allowlisting and Access Control
Prevention remains a vital layer of detection. With allowlisting, only verified applications, users, and devices can operate within the network. Even if ransomware infiltrates one system, it cannot execute or move laterally. This strategy turns ransomware from an uncontrollable outbreak into an isolated, manageable event.
Common Early Warning Signs of a Ransomware Attack
Learning how to detect ransomware attacks involves recognising the subtle anomalies that appear before encryption. Cyber X-CTEM continually monitors for behavioural indicators such as:
- Unusual traffic between devices that normally do not communicate.
- Creation of new administrative accounts without approval.
- Security tools are being disabled or showing connection errors.
- Large volumes of renamed or encrypted files appear suddenly.
- Outbound connections to unfamiliar or foreign IP addresses.
Individually, these activities may seem harmless, but together they create a clear indication of ransomware preparation. Spotting them early provides defenders with valuable time to isolate affected systems and prevent damage.
The Benefits of Continuous Detection and Exposure Management
Implementing a CTEM-based detection model provides both immediate and long-term advantages.
Organisations gain:
- Comprehensive Visibility: Every managed and unmanaged asset is accounted for.
- Rapid Detection: Continuous monitoring shortens attacker dwell time from weeks to minutes.
- Incident Containment: Allowlisting stops ransomware from spreading.
- Compliance Confidence: Complete asset visibility supports cyber-resilience frameworks and regulatory requirements.
Early detection doesn’t just prevent encryption, it safeguards operations, productivity, and reputation.
Lessons Learned from the Charon Ransomware Case
Charon ransomware demonstrated that neglect is the new vulnerability. Attackers don’t always need complex exploits; they depend on what organisations overlook. By closing the visibility gap, you remove the channels ransomware uses to infiltrate your environment.
Cyber X-CTEM enables defenders to anticipate, detect, and act before ransomware reaches its objectives. It provides security teams with the same level of insight as attackers, and that balance transforms everything.
Conclusion: Visibility Is the Foundation of Detection
Understanding how to detect ransomware attacks begins with seeing your environment as completely as possible. Unmanaged assets, shadow IT, and outdated systems are the blind spots attackers rely on. With Cyber X-CTEM, organisations gain continuous visibility, correlate threat signals in real time, and enforce strict access controls that stop ransomware before it spreads.
Ransomware will continue to evolve, but the principle remains simple: You can’t stop what you can’t see — and visibility is your strongest defence.