It’s been a while since we launched Above Trends, Beyond Insights. What began as an experiment in editorial positioning has gradually become a method: looking past headlines to understand how technology actually behaves inside organisations.

When ransomware reaches the front desk

At 10:00 pm on Friday, February 13, Washington Hotel in Japan detected unusual access on part of its server environment, with indicators consistent with a ransomware incident.

The company cut external network connectivity to contain the situation, then set up an internal task force the next day and involved law enforcement and external specialists while assessing whether data may have been accessed or taken.

Some properties reported practical disruption, including temporary issues with credit card terminals, even as overall operations continued. This is the current shape of ransomware in the real world: rapid containment, uncertainty around data exposure, and pressure on service continuity.

Many campaigns now pair encryption with extortion tactics that revolve around sensitive information, public disclosure, and regulatory consequences.

Resilience depends on capabilities that hold up under stress, including segmentation that limits lateral movement, strong control of identities and privileged accounts, fast isolation routines, and recovery procedures that have been tested before an incident forces the issue.

TREND TRACKER

Data-driven extortion: when attackers price the data

Extortion is becoming more selective and more tightly linked to what an organization values most. Attackers increasingly look for the data that carries financial impact, reputational risk, or regulatory exposure, then build pressure around that specific perimeter.

This shifts defensive priorities toward controlling outbound data paths, tightening identity and privilege management, and applying data classification where it actually changes outcomes. Visibility into egress traffic and the ability to contain early often determine how large the incident becomes, long before recovery is complete.

Want to learn more?

• GuidePoint Security - GRIT 2026 Ransomware & Cyber Threat Report

• Zscaler ThreatLabz - 2025 Ransomware Report

• ReliaQuest - Threat Spotlight: Ransomware and Cyber Extortion in Q4 2025

QUICK INSIGHT

The first 60 minutes after a ransomware alert (a compact playbook)

0–10 minutes | Get control
Activate incident response, confirm who decides and who executes, move communications to an out-of-band channel that does not rely on potentially compromised systems.

10–20 minutes | Contain spread
Isolate suspected hosts and affected segments, apply emergency segmentation, restrict lateral movement, pause non-essential integrations that widen blast radius.

20–30 minutes | Lock down identity and privilege
Secure privileged accounts, terminate suspicious sessions, reset high-risk credentials, review remote access paths (VPN, RDP, admin tools) and identity provider logs.

30–40 minutes | Reduce exfiltration risk
Increase visibility on outbound traffic, block suspicious destinations, limit unusual data flows, prioritize controls around identity systems and centralized management platforms.

40–50 minutes | Preserve evidence
Protect logs and telemetry, capture a basic timeline and indicators, take forensic snapshots where feasible, avoid destructive clean-up steps until triage is underway.

50–60 minutes | Set continuity priorities
Decide what must come back first, define safe workarounds, align on minimum security conditions for recovery, prepare internal and customer communications, include notification obligations where relevant.

WHO IS BABINI MAZZARI

Our Value Proposition

Babini Mazzari is the strategic IT partner for European companies looking to navigate digital transformation in a structured, pragmatic, and sustainable way.
We don’t just deliver technical solutions - we work as an extension of your internal team, helping you integrate systems, optimize processes, and lead change with clarity and competence.

Our approach is built on listening, transparency, and a strong results-driven culture. Whether you're scaling, modernizing, or rethinking your operating model, we support every client with the right tools, clear methodology, and long-term vision.
Above Technology. Beyond Solutions.

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