Royal Ransomware Removed Without Paying a Cent
A 5,000-employee cloud computing company was hit by Royal ransomware via a spear-phishing email. Instead of paying the $8M demand, Proven Data reverse-engineered the encryption algorithm, developed a custom decryption script, and restored all data in 5 days for $29,000 — less than 1% of the ransom demand.
The Challenge
The attack began when a spear-phishing email was opened by an employee, triggering Royal ransomware that spread rapidly across the organization's entire network — including extensive SQL databases and virtual machines. The threat actors demanded $8 million for the decryption key, threatening complete data loss if unpaid.
How We Responded
- 1Encryption Algorithm Analysis
Proven Data's research team analyzed Royal ransomware's encryption algorithm in detail to identify weaknesses that could be exploited for key-free decryption.
- 2Custom Shell Script Development
A custom decryption shell script was developed and tested on a controlled batch of encrypted files to verify effectiveness before broader execution.
- 3Mass Decryption Execution
After successful validation, the script was executed across all affected systems, decrypting the organization's data without relying on the attackers.
- 4Forensic Analysis & Prevention
A parallel forensic investigation examined the attack's root cause and produced targeted hardening recommendations to prevent recurrence.
Outcomes
- Complete data decryption — no ransom paid
- Full system recovery in 5 days
- Service cost under 1% of ransom demand ($29,000 vs $8,000,000)
- Custom decryption script provided to client for future use
- Root cause identified and remediated
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