How to Detect Ransomware: Monitoring and Alerting Ransomware has come a long way since the days of WannaCry. While attacks have grown more costly and complex. Most still rely on basic tactics, and that's a good thing for defenders. Knowing how to detect ransomware quickly is a valuable skill in today's IT landscape. In this video, we'll show you practical ways to detect ransomware early before it does real damage. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne’s IT Video Hub for more tech content like this. Why Early Detection Matters Trying to detect ransomware once it's already encrypting your files is a losing race. Some variants can encrypt 100,000 files in under five minutes. This proves one thing: the best time to detect ransomware is earlier. Spotting ransomware during the initial compromise or privilege escalation phase can prevent costly data breaches. At that stage, attackers are typically automated, probing for weak spots. Once they gain a foothold, things escalate fast. That's why strong monitoring and early detection are key. With the right tools and alerts in place, you can spot suspicious behavior before it becomes a full-blown incident. Key Ransomware Detection Opportunities Here are some common red flags to monitor. Suspicious emails: Malicious attachments are still a top attack vector. Create a culture where users report anything suspicious. Unexpected RDP activity: Exposed RDP remains a common entry point. Monitor for abnormal remote sessions or install detection scripts. New scheduled tasks: Often used for persistence. Watch for Windows Event IDs 4698 and 4700. Unauthorized remote access tools: Tools like AnyDesk or Splashtop may signal unauthorized activity. LSASS memory access: Used to grab credentials. Microsoft's Attack Surface Reduction rules can help prevent this. Disabled antivirus or EDR tools: A classic move to avoid detection. Set up alerts for uninstalled or inactive security software. Port scanning and network mapping tools: If you're not using them regularly, flag when they appear. Cobalt Strike or PsExec use: Popular with attackers for lateral movement. Many EDR platforms can detect their behavior. High outbound traffic or strange file transfers: Watch for spikes in bandwidth, suspicious ports, or uncommon file types like .rar and .7z. Each of these signs could indicate something benign on its own, but together they tell a bigger story. For more information, check out our official blog post on How to Detect Ransomware: Monitoring and Alerting linked in the description below.