Is Dell Secure Erase Enough to Prevent Ransomware Reinfection?

From my recent experience during a ransomware incident, we wiped our infected workstations and redeployed them. What caught us off guard was that our ESXi cluster was also infected. Even though we restored our VMs quickly thanks to a solid backup plan, we had to wait days for a security team to analyze the situation. That delay cost us in terms of productivity and resources, so be prepared for unforeseen complications.

Remember, ransomware usually targets servers more than workstations. Just keep that in mind when planning your recovery.

Using Secure Erase should be adequate, but my personal plan would be to bulk purchase new drives when hits occur. This way, you completely eliminate the risk. Also, make sure to quarantine any fixed machines until you are absolutely certain they're clean—otherwise, you could see the infection come back!

I'm a bit cautious about relying solely on Secure Erase. There’s the possibility of BIOS or firmware infections, which Secure Erase wouldn't handle. In extreme cases, I’d consider trashing the affected machines if the infection is confirmed—better safe than sorry, right?

First off, it’s crucial to develop a documented recovery process, then test it thoroughly. I prefer wiping drives one-by-one and keeping them isolated from the main network. When handling data, always have backups from different points in time. Plus, it may be time to upgrade your antivirus and enhance security measures like blocking downloads and sensitive sites.