Preventing a Multi-Million Rand Breach
How MTD Cyber stopped an imminent ransomware attack and saved a South African enterprise from devastating financial and operational damage.
Executive Summary
Client: Leading South African Financial Services Company (Identity Protected)
Industry: Financial Services
Threat: Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) with Ransomware Payload
Potential Impact: R45+ million in losses, complete operational shutdown
Outcome: 100% threat neutralized, zero data loss, business continuity maintained
The Threat Landscape
In early 2025, a prominent South African financial services company faced an unprecedented cyber threat. Sophisticated attackers had successfully infiltrated their network perimeter and were preparing for a large-scale ransomware deployment.
Critical Situation
Our threat intelligence team detected attackers had been present in the network for 23 days, conducting reconnaissance and positioning for maximum impact. The attack was planned for a Friday afternoon to maximize disruption over the weekend.
Attack Vector Analysis
The attackers employed a sophisticated multi-stage approach:
- Initial Access: Spear-phishing email targeting IT administrators
- Persistence: Deployment of custom backdoors in legacy systems
- Lateral Movement: Exploitation of known vulnerabilities in unpatched systems
- Data Exfiltration: Staged customer data and intellectual property for leverage
- Ransomware Deployment: Prepared to encrypt critical business systems
23
Days attackers were present in the network before detection
R45M+
Estimated potential losses from successful attack
Our Approach
MTD Cyber was engaged for emergency response when the client's existing security tools failed to detect the advanced threat. Our response strategy was implemented in three critical phases:
Phase 1: Rapid Deployment of MTD (Hours 0-6)
Immediate Threat Isolation
- Deployed Moving Target Defence to shift attack surfaces
- Implemented network micro-segmentation
- Activated real-time IP address randomization
- Disrupted attacker command and control communications
Phase 2: Real-time Threat Detection and Isolation (Hours 6-24)
Advanced Threat Hunting
- AI-powered behavioral analysis identified all compromised systems
- Isolated infected endpoints without disrupting operations
- Neutralized backdoors and persistence mechanisms
- Recovered and secured exfiltrated data staging areas
Phase 3: Proactive System Hardening (Days 1-7)
Long-term Protection
- Implemented comprehensive employee security awareness training
- Upgraded legacy systems and applied critical security patches
- Established continuous monitoring and threat intelligence feeds
- Created incident response playbooks for future threats
The Results
The immediate deployment of Moving Target Defence technology completely disrupted the attackers' carefully planned operation:
Zero Data Loss
No customer data or intellectual property was compromised
R45M+ Saved
Multi-million rand breach completely prevented
Enhanced Posture
Strengthened overall cybersecurity defenses
Detailed Impact Analysis
| Metric | Before MTD | After MTD | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threat Detection Time | 23 days | < 15 minutes | 99.97% faster |
| Attack Success Rate | 100% (undetected) | 0% | Complete prevention |
| Business Downtime | Projected 72+ hours | 0 minutes | Zero impact |
| Data Compromise | 2.3TB staged | 0 bytes | 100% protected |
Client Testimonial
"MTD Cyber didn't just save us millions in ransom payments and recovery costs – they saved our reputation and our customers' trust. Their Moving Target Defence technology stopped an attack that our existing security tools completely missed."
Lessons Learned
This case study demonstrates several critical insights for organizations facing advanced persistent threats:
Traditional Security Limitations
- Signature-based detection failed for 23 days
- Perimeter defenses were bypassed easily
- Legacy systems created vulnerability gaps
- Static configurations enabled reconnaissance
MTD Advantages
- Dynamic defenses disrupted attack progression
- Real-time adaptation prevented exploitation
- Behavioral analysis detected anomalies
- Automated response minimized human error
Don't Wait for an Attack to Find Your Vulnerabilities
This organization was fortunate to engage MTD Cyber before irreversible damage occurred. Your business might not have the same luxury of time.