LockBit 3 at a 6,500-Person Tech Firm: $14M to $1.5M

The Challenge

LockBit 3 slipped through existing security controls and launched an encryption campaign targeting servers holding intellectual property, proprietary research, employee records, and confidential client data. The company discovered the breach only when systems became inaccessible and a ransom note materialized. The $14M demand threatened severe financial instability alongside reputational damage in a trust-sensitive sector.

How We Responded

1. 1
   Initial Assessment & Isolation

   An immediate assessment confirmed LockBit 3 as the variant. Affected systems were isolated to prevent further network spread while the recovery plan was developed.

2. 2
   Ransom Negotiation

   Proven Data negotiators engaged the threat actor and systematically reduced the demand from $14,000,000 to $1,500,000 — a 89% reduction.

3. 3
   OFAC-Compliant Cryptocurrency Acquisition

   Proven Data facilitated the secure, OFAC-compliant acquisition of the required cryptocurrency under its compliance program before executing payment.

4. 4
   Data Decryption & System Restoration

   Upon receipt of the decryption key, the team decrypted all encrypted data, prioritizing critical systems first to minimize business impact.

5. 5
   Security Infrastructure Enhancement

   Post-recovery hardening included advanced threat detection, firewall improvements, regular audit cadences, and employee security awareness training.