Ransomware Recovery
Is data recovery possible after ransomware? Usually, it depends on what was actually encrypted.
Ransomware rarely encrypts everything perfectly. Whole-partition encryption with an unknown key is often a dead end — but partial encryption, missed free space and incomplete jobs regularly leave real recovery paths open. We investigate before we ever quote.
The problem
There is no single answer — it depends on the encryption.
Every ransomware case is different. The honest answer only comes after we have actually looked at your data.
When ransomware hits, the instinct is to ask "can you get my files back?" as if the answer is yes or no. It is not that simple. What actually happened to your data during the attack determines everything.
- Individual files encrypted, drive otherwise intact — the most common and most recoverable scenario
- An entire partition encrypted — much harder, and if the algorithm is genuinely cryptographic with an unknown key, we cannot break it
- Only part of each file encrypted — some ransomware variants only encrypt the first portion of larger files, leaving the rest intact and reconstructable
Stop using the affected device immediately. Do not reboot repeatedly, do not run "fix it" tools, and do not pay a ransom before speaking to us — none of these improve your odds, and some actively destroy evidence and recoverable data.
Our process
What we actually investigate.
Free space & unallocated areas
Ransomware frequently misses free space entirely. Deleted originals, temporary files and shadow copies can sometimes still be recovered from here.
Partial encryption patterns
We compare encrypted files against known-good copies where available, to map exactly which byte ranges were altered and which were not.
File size thresholds
Some ransomware families only encrypt the first megabyte or so of larger files. Above that threshold, meaningful data can often be reconstructed.
Known decryption routes
We check the strain against publicly documented weaknesses and available decryptors before assuming a full rebuild is required.
Straight talking
We will not sell you false hope.
If a whole partition has been encrypted with a properly implemented cryptographic algorithm and the key is genuinely unknown, no laboratory can decrypt it without that key. This is a straightforward mathematical reality, and anyone claiming otherwise is not being straight with you.
Where we can add real value is everywhere short of that: identifying whether the encryption is actually as complete as it looks, finding what the attacker missed, and telling you plainly which category your case falls into before you spend anything.
This work sits alongside our wider data destruction and recovery capability, and where a device has been physically damaged as well as encrypted we draw on our hard drive and SSD recovery teams in the same lab.
Process
A structured investigation, not guesswork.
- 01
Secure the device
Power down and stop all further use. Do not reboot, run cleanup tools, or attempt DIY decryption software — each of these can overwrite recoverable data.
- 02
Diagnosis
We image the drive and examine free space, partial encryption boundaries and the ransomware strain itself to establish exactly what is and is not recoverable.
- 03
Fixed quote
You receive a clear, honest verdict and a fixed price before any recovery work begins — never a percentage-of-value fee, never pressure to pay a ransom.
- 04
Recovery & verified return
Where data can be reconstructed, we do the work in-house and return verified, openable files on encrypted media.
Questions
The honest answers.
Should we pay the ransom?
We strongly advise against it. Payment does not guarantee a working decryption key, funds further attacks, and in many organisations creates compliance and insurance complications. Speak to us and, where relevant, law enforcement before considering it.
My files have a new, unfamiliar extension. Does that tell you which decryptor to use?
Not on its own. The extension name varies enormously between and even within ransomware families and is not a reliable indicator. What matters is the actual structure of the encrypted file, which we examine directly.
Is a whole encrypted partition ever recoverable?
Rarely, if the encryption is genuinely cryptographic and the key is unknown — this is a mathematical limit, not a lack of effort. It is far more common for us to find that some files, free space, or partial data escaped encryption entirely.
How can you tell if only part of a file was encrypted?
We compare the suspect file against an unencrypted copy of the same file type where one exists, mapping which byte ranges match and which do not. Larger files (roughly 10MB and above) are more likely to have unencrypted portions we can reconstruct.
How quickly should we act?
Immediately. The longer an infected system keeps running, the greater the risk that free space containing recoverable originals gets overwritten. Isolate the device and contact us before doing anything else.
Describe the attack and we will give you an honest recoverability assessment, a fixed quote, and a clear next step — before you consider paying anyone a ransom.