Shared Folder Encrypted by Ransomware: Stop the Share First, Then Find the Machine That Is Actually Encrypting

When files on a shared drive suddenly get unfamiliar extensions, the first step is to cut off write access, not scan the server; this article explains why the file server or NAS itself is often not infected, how to use file owners and session logs to locate the source host on the LAN, how to preserve snapshots and backups, and which actions during forensics and recoverability assessment will destroy the data completely.