Ransomware groups do not need a zero-day — they need one exposed service, one reused password, one flat network and one backup they can reach. A ransomware readiness assessment answers the only question that matters before it happens: if an operator got a foothold today, how far would they get, would your team notice, and could you actually recover? We test all three — the attack path, the detection, and the recovery — against the tactics real ransomware affiliates use.
This is a controlled, safe simulation. We never detonate real ransomware; we replicate the behaviours that precede it.
We combine an attacker's view with a defender's. On the offensive side we map realistic paths to domain-wide impact — initial access, privilege escalation, credential theft, lateral movement and, critically, whether an attacker can reach and destroy your backups. On the defensive side we test whether your EDR, logging and team detect and respond to each stage, and we validate that your backups are truly isolated and restorable within the recovery time you assume.
Why it matters
Most organisations discover their backups were reachable, their network was flat, or their detection was silent only after an incident — when the ransom note is already on the screen. Ransomware is now the dominant cause of serious downtime, affiliates weaponise new vulnerabilities within days, and under NIS2 and DORA a disruptive incident is also a reporting and resilience obligation. Testing readiness in advance is far cheaper than discovering the gaps live.
What we test
- Initial-access & foothold simulation
- Privilege escalation & Active Directory attack paths
- Credential theft & lateral movement
- Backup reachability, immutability & recovery validation
- Detection & response coverage (EDR, logging, SOC)
- Executive & technical tabletop exercise (optional)
Common vulnerabilities we uncover
- Backups reachable and destroyable from the domain
- Flat networks enabling fast lateral movement
- Weak Active Directory tiering and credential hygiene
- Silent gaps in detection and alerting
- Untested or too-slow recovery procedures
- Exposed, exploitable entry points on the perimeter
How we run your engagement
- Kick-off & scoping. A short call to agree goals, in-scope assets and rules of engagement, so your ransomware readiness assessment is safe, authorised and aimed at your real business risk.
- Mapping & discovery. Before touching anything we map the full attack surface in scope, so nothing exploitable slips through.
- Hands-on testing. Cyprus-based specialists exploit and chain weaknesses manually — the flaws scanners walk straight past — to show genuine impact.
- Reporting. Each issue is verified, CVSS-rated and documented with a step-by-step reproduction and a practical fix your team can apply.
- Free retest. Once you have remediated, we re-test at no extra cost to confirm the attack path is truly closed.
Tools & techniques
We emulate ransomware-affiliate TTPs mapped to MITRE ATT&CK — from initial access and Active Directory abuse to credential dumping and lateral movement — using controlled tooling and safe payload stand-ins. In parallel we assess backup architecture (immutability, isolation, offline copies), recovery procedures and detection coverage at each stage.
Optionally we run a facilitated tabletop exercise with your technical and executive teams so decision-making, communications and reporting are rehearsed, not improvised, when it counts.
When you need this engagement
- You want to know your real exposure to a ransomware event
- You are in scope for NIS2 or DORA resilience requirements
- Your insurer or board is asking about ransomware preparedness
- You have never validated that backups are isolated and restorable
- You want to rehearse incident response before a real crisis
What you receive
- Ransomware attack-path report with proven impact
- Backup and recovery resilience findings
- Detection & response gap analysis (MITRE ATT&CK mapped)
- Prioritised hardening and resilience roadmap
- Executive readiness scorecard
- Optional tabletop exercise report
Your deliverables
When your ransomware readiness assessment wraps up, you receive a clear, audit-ready report plus a walkthrough call with your team. Inside you will find:
- A concise executive summary that management and the board can act on
- Every technical finding with a reproducible, copy-paste proof of concept
- CVSS v3.1 ratings and plain-language business impact for each issue
- Practical, prioritised remediation your developers can implement straight away
- A free retest and updated finding status once fixes are in place
- A signed attestation letter for clients, auditors, GDPR, NIS2 and ISO 27001
Standards & frameworks
MITRE ATT&CK
NIST CSF
NIS2 Directive
DORA (for financial entities)
What you gain
By the end of your ransomware readiness assessment, you will know exactly which weaknesses a real attacker could exploit, what it would cost your business, and the precise order in which to fix them — backed by evidence, not a scanner’s guesswork. Cyprus firms use our findings to close critical gaps, satisfy client and regulator security questionnaires, and demonstrate due diligence for GDPR and NIS2. With a free retest included, you also get documented proof the issues are resolved.
Working with us
Every ransomware readiness assessment begins with a short, no-obligation scoping call to understand your goals, environment and constraints, followed by a fixed-price proposal. Most work is delivered remotely, and because we are based in Cyprus we work in your timezone with on-site visits across Limassol, Nicosia and island-wide where it helps. We keep you updated throughout and flag any critical finding immediately rather than waiting for the report. Everything is covered by a signed NDA and safe, non-disruptive testing that protects your production systems. You receive your report, a walkthrough and a complimentary retest once fixes land. Engagements are typically booked one to three weeks ahead, and urgent testing can often be arranged — just email hi@cypruspentest.com.
Why Cyprus businesses choose CyprusPentest
Your ransomware readiness assessment is run by senior offensive-security specialists who test the way genuine attackers do — manually, creatively and focused on proving real impact. What sets us apart:
- Based in Cyprus — local, in your timezone, with on-site coverage across Limassol and Nicosia.
- Manual, exploit-led testing that chains vulnerabilities the way an attacker would, well beyond automated scanners.
- Reproducible proof for every finding, with copy-paste steps your team can independently verify.
- Compliance-ready reporting that supports GDPR, NIS2, ISO 27001 and CySEC expectations.
- A free retest so you have documented evidence your fixes actually hold.
- Fixed-price and responsive, with a named point of contact from scoping through to retest.
Explore related services
Ransomware Readiness Assessment pairs well with our other Cyprus penetration testing services for fuller coverage. You may also want:
- Assumed Breach Assessment — Assumed breach assessment in Cyprus. Start from a compromised foothold to measure blast radius and detection…
- Red Team Operations — Red team operations in Cyprus. Stealthy, objective-driven attack simulation testing detection & response for mature Limassol…
- Internal Network Penetration Testing — Internal network penetration testing in Cyprus. Assumed-breach testing of lateral movement & segmentation for Limassol offices…
How much does Ransomware Readiness Assessment cost?
Every ransomware readiness assessment in Cyprus is scoped and priced individually, so you pay only for the coverage you need — with no hidden extras. After a short, no-obligation scoping call we send a fixed-price quote, usually within one business day, with clear deliverables, a firm timeline and a complimentary retest included. The price depends on the size and complexity of your environment, so you always know the cost up front before any work begins.
Get a fixed-price quote
Frequently asked questions
Do you deploy real ransomware on our network?
Never. We safely emulate the attacker behaviours that precede ransomware — access, escalation, lateral movement and backup targeting — using controlled tooling and payload stand-ins. No live encryption is performed.
How is this different from a normal penetration test?
A pentest finds vulnerabilities; a ransomware readiness assessment specifically models the end-to-end ransomware kill chain, then tests your backups, detection and recovery — the three things that decide whether an incident is a nuisance or a catastrophe.
Does it help with NIS2 or DORA?
Yes. The resilience, detection and recovery evidence maps directly to NIS2 and DORA operational-resilience obligations and supports your reporting posture.
Can you include a tabletop exercise?
Yes — an optional facilitated tabletop rehearses technical and executive decision-making, communications and regulatory reporting alongside the technical simulation.