Double extortion
Attackers encrypt data while exfiltrating for additional leverage
Adversary Simulation
Ransomware Simulation
Safely simulate ransomware attacks in controlled environments to evaluate your organisation's ability to detect, contain, and mitigate encryption-based threats.
Discuss an engagement- Objective
- Contain an encryption event
- Maturity
- SIEM, EDR and IR in place
- Approach
- Safe custom ransomware
- Result
- Response readiness evidence
Testing your defences against encryption-based attacks
Ransomware remains one of the most disruptive and costly cyber threats organisations face today. Adversaries continuously refine their tactics, combining data exfiltration, targeted encryption, and multi-stage extortion techniques.
SilentGrid's Ransomware Simulation leverages custom-built ransomware to safely replicate the encryption of local folders, network shares, and critical paths, simulating the full lifecycle of modern ransomware attacks. This controlled simulation provides critical insights into how your detection, response, and containment strategies perform under realistic attack conditions, without risking production environments.
Why simulate ransomware attacks?
Ransomware simulations expose weaknesses in endpoint security, SIEM alerting, EDR configurations, and response workflows, enabling your organisation to fortify defences before real attacks occur.
Targeted campaigns
Modern gangs conduct thorough reconnaissance for high-value assets
Rapid impact
Ransomware spreads laterally, encrypting critical data in minutes if undetected
Is ransomware simulation the right fit?
The simulation measures how detection, containment and recovery hold up against encryption, so it assumes those controls exist and are worth testing. Where the question is how an attacker would reach that position in the first place, assumed breach or red teaming answers it.
Ransomware simulation is ideal for organisations that
- Manage high-value data or operate in targeted industries (finance, healthcare, critical infrastructure)
- Have SIEM, EDR, and incident response processes that need validation
- Want to test network segmentation and endpoint protections against encryption threats
- Require hands-on experience to train SOC analysts and response teams
Our custom ransomware approach
SilentGrid uses internally developed ransomware that mimics real-world payloads:
Safe execution
Designed to safely encrypt files without destructive impact: files are restorable post-simulation
Controlled environment
Executed in sandbox environments, isolated networks, or dedicated testing systems
Local and network testing
Encrypts files on local machines, remote shares, and critical paths to simulate lateral spread
Payload flexibility
Tailored to match your environment, testing different payload delivery mechanisms
How we simulate ransomware
Our simulation tests your security stack's effectiveness at every stage of a ransomware attack:
- 01
Initial execution
- Testing detection of ransomware payload delivery and initial execution
- 02
File encryption
- Monitoring response to active file encryption across local and network drives
- 03
Lateral movement
- Assessing containment of ransomware spread to network shares and endpoints
- 04
Detection speed
- Measuring time from initial execution to detection and response
- 05
Containment actions
- Evaluating effectiveness of isolation and remediation procedures
- 06
Recovery testing
- Validating backup and recovery processes post-encryption
Benefits of ransomware simulation
Test real-world scenarios
Experience ransomware attacks safely and realistically in controlled environments
Identify detection gaps
Uncover blind spots in EDR, SIEM, and incident response processes
Strengthen containment
Assess your ability to contain ransomware spread across endpoints and networks
Improve response readiness
Equip SOC and IR teams with real-world experience managing ransomware incidents
Run it continuously
Run the simulation once, or test all year.
A single simulation shows how detection, containment and recovery hold up against encryption. Where endpoints and response processes change often, CAOS (Continuous Adversary Operations Service) runs adversary cycles through the year, triggering an alert when an objective goes undetected so your team has to respond.
Explore CAOSDeliverables and reporting
SilentGrid provides detailed reports that enable you to strengthen your ransomware defences:
Detection and response gaps
Identification of missed detections, slow responses, and containment delays
Endpoint security evaluation
Performance assessment of EDR, antivirus, and file integrity monitoring tools
Incident response recommendations
Tactical guidance on improving ransomware readiness and remediation workflows
Executive summary
High-level overview detailing potential business impacts and strategic risk mitigations
Why SilentGrid
SilentGrid's consultants are hand-picked, and between them they have delivered red team engagements globally over decades, including CBEST for UK financial institutions and CORIE engagements in Australia. Their sector experience covers banking and financial services, insurance, government, critical infrastructure and healthcare.
Consultants find 0-day vulnerabilities in commercial software and speak or teach at security conferences. That research produces the custom tooling used to bypass EDR and network controls, and keeps techniques current with the threat actor being simulated. The methodology follows concepts set out in NIST, OWASP, PTES and OSSTMM.
CREST ANZApproved company Individual credentials across our team include
- OSEE
- OSCE3
- OSED
- OSEP
- OSWE
- GXPN
- CRTO
- CRTE
- CRTP
- OSCP
Common questions
What is a ransomware simulation?
A ransomware simulation tests an organisation the way a ransomware operator would, using internally developed ransomware: files on local machines, network shares and critical paths are encrypted in sandbox environments, isolated networks or dedicated test systems, then restored. The exercise measures how quickly execution is detected, whether the spread is contained, and whether backup and recovery work afterwards.
Is the simulation safe to run?
Yes. The ransomware is designed to encrypt files without destructive impact and the files are restorable after the simulation. It runs in sandbox environments, isolated networks or dedicated testing systems rather than production.
What ransomware is used?
Internally developed ransomware built to mimic real-world payloads. It is tailored to match your environment and can test different payload delivery mechanisms.
What does the simulation test?
Every stage of a ransomware attack: payload delivery and initial execution, file encryption across local and network drives, lateral spread to shares and endpoints, the time from execution to detection, the effectiveness of isolation and remediation, and backup and recovery afterwards.
Does it encrypt network shares as well as local files?
Yes. Files are encrypted on local machines, remote shares and critical paths so that lateral spread is simulated rather than assumed.
Why simulate ransomware rather than rely on existing controls?
Simulations expose weaknesses in endpoint security, SIEM alerting, EDR configurations and response workflows, which lets you fortify defences before a real attack. Modern campaigns combine double extortion, targeted reconnaissance and lateral spread that encrypts critical data in minutes if undetected.
Does it help train our SOC and incident response teams?
Yes. The exercise gives SOC and IR teams real-world experience managing a ransomware incident, which is one of the reasons organisations run it.
What do we receive at the end?
A report identifying missed detections, slow responses and containment delays, a performance assessment of EDR, antivirus and file integrity monitoring, tactical incident response recommendations, and an executive summary covering business impact.
Stay ahead of ransomware
Get started with ransomware simulation
Fortify your defences against encryption-based threats
SilentGrid helps organisations prepare for ransomware attacks through realistic simulations that expose vulnerabilities before attackers do.