top of page
Airplane Engine


 
Case Study: Ransomware Recovery and Security Transformation for an Aircraft Fuel Systems Manufacturer

Executive Summary
A company specializing in the manufacturing of fuel systems for aircraft experienced a devastating cyberattack due to outdated security practices and exposed Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access. The breach resulted in a double extortion ransomware attack that encrypted critical systems and threatened to leak sensitive data.

TrustPoint Cyber was called in to contain the incident, restore operations, and implement a modern defense-in-depth security strategy. Within three days, the company resumed core operations, and within five days, full restoration was achieved.

 

Company Background
This U.S.-based manufacturer produces precision fuel systems for aircraft, serving both commercial and defense sectors. Their work involves proprietary designs, manufacturing specifications, and regulated compliance requirements—making data confidentiality and uptime critical to their success.

For years, the company had coasted on its existing IT infrastructure, focusing on production while delaying major security investments. This lack of modernization left their systems vulnerable to modern cyber threats.


Phase 1: Emergency IT Takeover

​

The company’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) service was exposed to the internet without adequate safeguards. Attackers exploited this weakness to gain unauthorized access, launching a double extortion ransomware attack—encrypting vital systems and stealing sensitive data.

​

Impact:

  • Nearly all production and back-office systems were rendered inoperable.

  • Manufacturing halted, causing immediate financial and contractual strain.

  • Data exfiltration created potential compliance and reputational risks.

  • The company was effectively out of business until recovery could be completed.

​


Phase 2: Emergency Response and Containment


The TrustPoint Cyber incident response team acted immediately:

  • Isolation — Disconnected compromised systems to prevent further spread.

  • Forensic Analysis — Determined the attack vector and confirmed the presence of data exfiltration.

  • Backup Discovery — Located recent, unaffected backups that were stored separately from compromised systems.

​

​

Phase 3: Rebuilding from Scratch

Given the scope of the compromise, partial recovery was not viable. TrustPoint Cyber:

  • Created a brand-new domain and server infrastructure from the ground up.

  • Rebuilt all systems— including file servers, application servers, and workstations—on a clean, hardened architecture.

  • Restored data from secure backups with careful verification to avoid reintroducing malware.


Phase 4: Security Modernization

​

Following the breach, company leadership committed to a complete overhaul of their security posture. TrustPoint Cyber implemented:

  • Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) — Eliminating direct exposure of RDP and other services.

  •  Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) — Securing logins against credential theft.

  • Advanced Endpoint Protection — Deploying next-generation antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.

  • Network Segmentation — Reducing the risk of lateral movement in case of future compromise.

  • Backup Infrastructure Upgrade — Designed and deployed a modern backup strategy that keeps multiple copies of critical data, including immutable and offsite backups, ensuring rapid recovery and resilience against ransomware attacks.

 
​


Conclusion
The aircraft fuel systems manufacturer learned a hard but valuable lesson: modern security is essential for business continuity. TrustPoint Cyber’s rapid response, complete infrastructure rebuild, and implementation of a defense-in-depth strategy—bolstered by a best-practice backup architecture—allowed the company not only to survive the attack but to emerge with a far stronger, more resilient IT environment.
 


 

bottom of page