Ransomware
This document constitutes a comprehensive technical specification and operational guide for the server configuration designated internally as the **"Ransomware Defense Platform" (RDP-9000)**. This configuration is specifically engineered not for offensive security testing, but as a hardened, high-throughput appliance designed for rapid detection, isolation, and recovery in the event of a large-scale encryption or data corruption event.
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1. Hardware Specifications
The RDP-9000 is built upon a high-density, dual-socket server chassis optimized for maximum I/O throughput and memory bandwidth, crucial factors for real-time data integrity verification and rapid snapshot restoration.
1.1. Chassis and Platform
The foundation is a 2U rack-mountable chassis compliant with SSI-EEB standards, designed for high-airflow environments.
| Component | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis Model | OEM-Spec 2U High-Density Platform | Supports up to 24 hot-swap drive bays. |
| Motherboard | Dual-Socket Proprietary Board (Chipset: Intel C741/AMD SP5 Equivalent) | Supports PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes exclusively for primary I/O. |
| Power Supplies (PSU) | 2x 2000W Titanium Rated, Redundant (N+1) | 96% efficiency at 50% load, crucial for continuous operation. |
| Cooling Solution | High-Static Pressure Fan Array (7x Hot-Swap) | Optimized for directed airflow over high-TDP components (CPUs, PCIe Switches). |
| Management Controller | Dedicated BMC (IPMI 2.0 / Redfish Compliant) | Firmware must support remote power cycling and OOBM logging independent of the host OS. |
1.2. Central Processing Units (CPUs)
The CPU selection prioritizes high core count for parallel processing of integrity checks (e.g., SHA-256 verification across large datasets) and high memory bandwidth for rapid data staging.
| Parameter | Socket 1 Specification | Socket 2 Specification |
|---|---|---|
| Model Family | Intel Xeon Scalable (Sapphire Rapids Refresh) or AMD EPYC Genoa-X Equivalent | |
| Core Count (Total) | 2x 64 Cores / 128 Threads (Total 128 Cores / 256 Threads) | |
| Base Clock Frequency | 2.2 GHz | |
| Max Turbo Frequency | Up to 3.8 GHz (All-Core Load) | |
| L3 Cache Size | 192 MB per CPU (Total 384 MB) | |
| Thermal Design Power (TDP) | 350W per CPU | |
| Instruction Sets | AVX-512, VNNI, AMX (Crucial for high-speed cryptographic operations) |
1.3. Memory Subsystem
Memory is configured for maximum redundancy and speed, essential for holding large system state snapshots and facilitating low-latency data restoration buffers. ECC RDIMMs are mandatory.
| Parameter | Specification | Configuration Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Total Capacity | 1.5 TB (1536 GB) | |
| Module Type | DDR5 ECC RDIMM | |
| Speed Grade | 4800 MT/s (Minimum) | |
| DIMM Configuration | 48 x 32 GB DIMMs | |
| Memory Channels Utilized | 12 Channels per CPU (Total 24 Channels Populated) | Ensures full memory bandwidth utilization per NUMA Node. |
| Memory RAS Feature | Standard ECC with Chipkill support |
1.4. Storage Architecture
The storage subsystem is heterogenous, utilizing high-speed NVMe for active operational data and lower-cost, high-endurance SATA SSDs for immutable, offline recovery archives (the "Golden Copy" storage).
1.4.1. Primary Operational Storage (Hot Tier)
This tier handles live data access, high-speed logging, and rapid restoration staging.
| Component | Quantity | Capacity Per Unit | Interface | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 5.0) | 8 Units | 7.68 TB U.2 | PCIe 5.0 x4 | Operating System, Security Logs, Active System Snapshots. Configured in RAID 10 via Hardware RAID Controller. |
| RAID Controller | Broadcom MegaRAID 9680-8i (or equivalent) | PCIe 5.0 x8 interface required. Must support ZNS (Zoned Namespaces) if utilizing advanced block management software. |
1.4.2. Immutable Recovery Storage (Cold Tier)
This tier is dedicated to storing verified, air-gapped or logically isolated recovery images. Endurance (DWPD) is prioritized over raw IOPS.
| Component | Quantity | Capacity Per Unit | Interface | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SATA SSD (High Endurance) | 16 Units | 3.84 TB (Enterprise Write-Endurance Optimized) | SATA III (6 Gbps) | Long-Term, Immutable Recovery Archives. Managed by dedicated controller/JBOD expansion. |
| Total Cold Storage Capacity | 61.44 TB Raw | Designed for WORM (Write Once Read Many) compliance via software layering. |
1.5. Networking Subsystem
High-speed, low-latency networking is fundamental for rapid data synchronization across the cluster and for isolating infected segments quickly.
| Interface | Quantity | Speed | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Data Plane | 2 x 100GbE QSFP28 | 100 Gbps | Secure cluster synchronization and high-speed recovery data egress. |
| Management Plane (OOB) | 1 x 1GbE BaseT | 1 Gbps | Dedicated IPMI/Redfish access. |
| Internal Interconnect (Optional) | 2 x 200GbE InfiniBand/RoCE | 200 Gbps | For extremely low-latency communication if integrated into a larger SAN fabric. |
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2. Performance Characteristics
The RDP-9000 configuration is benchmarked against recovery speed and integrity verification throughput, rather than traditional transactional performance (like web serving or database queries).
2.1. Storage I/O Benchmarks
Testing utilizes FIO (Flexible I/O Tester) configured to simulate random 4K I/O patterns typical of distributed file system metadata operations, followed by sequential read tests simulating mass recovery.
| Metric | Result (Mixed R/W 70/30) | Result (Sequential Read - Recovery Simulation) | Target Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| IOPS (4K Random) | 1,850,000 IOPS | N/A | > 1,500,000 IOPS |
| Read Latency (99th Percentile) | 45 microseconds (µs) | 12 microseconds (µs) | < 50 µs |
| Sequential Throughput (Read) | N/A | 28.5 GB/s | > 25 GB/s |
| Write Throughput (Sustained) | 14.2 GB/s | N/A | > 12 GB/s |
2.2. Cryptographic Throughput
A critical performance metric is the ability to rapidly verify data integrity post-recovery. This relies heavily on the CPU's AVX-512 capabilities.
- **SHA-256 Hashing Throughput:** Measured using a dedicated kernel module testing the processing of 1GB blocks.
* Result: **245 GB/s** sustained throughput across both CPUs. This allows for the verification of 250TB of data in approximately 18 minutes, assuming 100% resource saturation.
- **AES-256-GCM Encryption/Decryption:** Measured using OpenSSL `speed` command on a single memory buffer.
* Result: **110 GB/s** bidirectional throughput, leveraging hardware acceleration instructions (e.g., AES-NI).
2.3. System Stability and Reliability
The platform is subjected to 72-hour stress tests involving 100% CPU utilization via prime number calculation loops and simultaneous 100% storage read/write saturation.
- **Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) Estimate:** Based on component selection (Titanium PSUs, Enterprise SSDs), the projected MTBF exceeds 150,000 operational hours before component failure is statistically likely.
- **Thermal Stability:** Under maximum sustained load (all components operating at 90% TDP), the hottest measured component (CPU package) remains below 85°C, well within safe operational limits mandated by the TDP envelope.
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3. Recommended Use Cases
The RDP-9000 is not a general-purpose server. Its specialized hardware allocation (high RAM, high-speed I/O, redundant storage) targets specific security and resilience roles within a data center infrastructure.
3.1. Immutable Backup Vault (Primary Role)
The primary function is serving as the repository for security-critical, immutable backups, often referred to as the "Last Line of Defense."
- **Functionality:** The system ingests backup streams from critical production environments. The specialized storage controller and software layer enforce WORM policies, preventing deletion or modification for a defined retention period, even by administrative credentials compromised during an attack.
- **Requirement Fulfilled:** Provides a verified, clean restore point isolated from the primary network infrastructure, capable of supporting multi-terabyte restoration within hours. This directly mitigates the impact of crypto-malware.
- 3.2. Honeypot/Decoy Environment (Secondary Role)
Due to its high processing power and isolated network interfaces, the RDP-9000 can host high-interaction honeypots.
- **Advantage:** If an attacker breaches the primary network and begins lateral movement, the RDP-9000's decoy instances can capture attack signatures, TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures), and malware payloads without risk, thanks to its hardened OS baseline. The performance ensures the decoy environment responds realistically, encouraging the attacker to spend time there.
- 3.3. Active Integrity Monitoring Station
The system can be configured to continuously pull checksums or block-level hashes from critical production storage arrays (via a dedicated, read-only connection) and compare them against known good states stored in its high-speed RAM.
- **Benefit:** This allows for the detection of subtle data corruption or low-and-slow data exfiltration/modification that might precede a full-scale encrypted attack. The 1.5 TB of RAM is used to cache the metadata required for near-instantaneous comparison, minimizing impact on the production environment's read latency.
- 3.4. Virtualized Recovery Sandbox
The robust CPU and memory configuration allows the RDP-9000 to host a fully operational, temporary recovery environment (a "clean room") containing virtualized copies of recovered production systems.
- **Process:** After a successful restore from the immutable tier, systems are booted here first. Security teams can scan for residual malware, verify application functionality, and perform final integrity checks before migrating the verified systems back to the production network.
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- 4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
To illustrate the design rationale behind the RDP-9000, it is compared against two common, but less specialized, server configurations: a standard Enterprise Database Server (EDS) and a high-density Archive Server (HAS).
4.1. Configuration Matrix Comparison
| Feature / Metric | RDP-9000 (Ransomware Defense) | Standard Enterprise Database Server (EDS) | High-Density Archive Server (HAS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Storage Type | NVMe/SATA Hybrid (Focus on Recovery Speed) | All-Flash NVMe (Focus on Transactional IOPS) | |
| Total RAM | 1.5 TB (High capacity for metadata caching) | 768 GB (Standard for database buffer pools) | |
| CPU Core Count (Total) | 128 Cores (Focus on parallel verification) | 96 Cores (Focus on clock speed for transactional processing) | |
| Network Speed | 2 x 100GbE (Focus on massive data movement) | 4 x 25GbE (Focus on stable connectivity) | |
| Power Efficiency (PSU Rating) | Titanium (2000W Redundant) | Platinum (1600W Redundant) | |
| Key Design Metric | Restore Throughput & Integrity Verification Rate | Transaction Latency (ms) | Cost per TB Stored |
| Typical Storage RAID Level | RAID 10 (Hot) + RAID 6 (Cold) | RAID 1/5/6 across NVMe | RAID 60 across high-density HDDs/SATA SSDs |
4.2. Performance Trade-offs Analysis
The RDP-9000 deliberately sacrifices peak transactional IOPS (which the EDS excels at) to gain superior throughput for large sequential reads (recovery) and computational power for cryptographic operations (verification).
- **Latency vs. Throughput:** While the EDS configuration might achieve lower 4K random read latency (e.g., 20µs vs. RDP-9000's 45µs), the RDP-9000's 28.5 GB/s sequential read speed is 40% higher than a typical EDS configuration limited to 2x 40GbE interfaces and less optimized PCIe layout for bulk transfer.
- **Memory Utilization:** The 1.5 TB RAM allocation in the RDP-9000 is critical. In a recovery scenario, the entire metadata map of a 50TB dataset can be held in memory, allowing the system to immediately know *where* to read the clean data from the cold tier, bypassing slow disk lookups—a feature not common in standard DDR4 deployments.
- 4.3. Comparison with Generic Archive Servers (HAS)
The HAS configuration focuses purely on minimizing cost per stored terabyte, often utilizing slower, higher-density mechanical drives or lower-endurance SATA SSDs.
- **Recovery Time Objective (RTO):** This is the critical differentiator. An HAS might take days to restore a critical 10TB volume due to mechanical seek times and lower sequential read rates (often peaking around 5-10 GB/s). The RDP-9000, leveraging its NVMe staging tier and 28.5 GB/s sustained cold-tier reads, targets an RTO measured in hours for the same volume size.
- **Security Overhead:** HAS often relies solely on software encryption. The RDP-9000's hardware acceleration (AVX, AES-NI) allows it to perform necessary integrity checks and encryption/decryption overhead without impacting the core data plane's performance significantly, which is vital during a high-stress recovery event. This ties directly into Data Integrity Validation.
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- 5. Maintenance Considerations
Deploying a high-performance, mission-critical appliance like the RDP-9000 requires rigorous adherence to specialized maintenance protocols focusing on environmental controls and firmware integrity.
- 5.1. Power Requirements and Redundancy
Given the dual 2000W Titanium PSUs, power infrastructure must be robust.
- **Total System Power Draw (Peak):** Estimated at 1500W under 100% CPU/Storage saturation.
- **UPS Sizing:** The Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system supporting the RDP-9000 must be sized to handle the peak load plus necessary overhead for graceful shutdown procedures during extended outages. A minimum of 30 minutes runtime at 1.5kW load is recommended.
- **Rack Power Distribution Units (PDUs):** PDUs must support dual, independent power feeds (A/B side) sourced from different utility circuits to ensure resilience against single PDU or facility power failures. Refer to PDU Configuration Guide.
- 5.2. Thermal Management and Airflow
The 350W TDP CPUs and high-speed PCIe devices generate substantial heat density (kW per rack unit).
- **Data Center Cooling:** The installation environment must maintain an ambient temperature well below the maximum specified by the OEM (typically < 25°C inlet temperature).
- **Aisle Containment:** Highly recommended to utilize hot/cold aisle containment to prevent recirculation of waste heat, which can cause thermal throttling on the high-performance CPUs and degrade the longevity of the SSD components.
- **Fan Monitoring:** The BMC must be configured to alert immediately if any of the 7 internal hot-swap fans drop below 90% nominal RPM, as this indicates a potential airflow restriction impacting the VRM efficiency.
- 5.3. Firmware and Software Integrity
The security posture of the RDP-9000 is directly tied to the integrity of its firmware, as an attacker targeting the recovery system is a high-value objective.
- **BIOS/UEFI Updates:** Firmware updates must be strictly controlled. Only updates validated by the security team, which explicitly address known Platform Trust Anchor (PTA) issues, should be applied. All firmware updates must be cryptographically signed and verified via the BMC before application.
- **Secure Boot Chain:** The system must enforce a full hardware-rooted secure boot chain, starting from the Platform Root of Trust (PRoT) through the UEFI, bootloader, and finally the kernel. Any deviation must trigger an immediate system alert and potential lockdown.
- **Storage Controller Firmware:** Storage controller firmware (RAID/HBA) requires separate, equally stringent validation, as outdated firmware can introduce DMA vulnerabilities that bypass OS-level security controls.
- 5.4. Backup and Configuration Management
While the RDP-9000 holds the ultimate recovery data, its *configuration* (security policies, network settings, access controls) must also be backed up.
- **Configuration Backup Frequency:** Daily automated backups of the configuration management database (CMDB) and the operating system image are required. These backups must be stored on a separate, tertiary system, encrypted using a key managed by a Hardware Security Module (HSM) accessible only during disaster recovery planning.
- **Audit Logging Retention:** Due to the high volume of security events handled, the system generates extensive logs. The 7.68 TB NVMe tier is allocated primarily for short-term (30-day) high-speed log retention. Logs must be forwarded immediately to a centralized, immutable SIEM solution for long-term analysis and compliance archiving.
- 5.5. Component Replacement Procedures
Due to the active role in defense, replacement procedures must minimize downtime and maintain data integrity across the hybrid storage array.
1. **Component Identification:** Use the BMC interface to identify the failed component (e.g., DIMM slot 14, NVMe Bay 03). 2. **Isolation:** If a failed drive is detected, the management software must immediately quiesce I/O to that specific drive/module while allowing the rest of the array to operate in a degraded but functional state. 3. **Hot-Swap Policy:** Only components rated for hot-swapping (PSUs, Fans, and specific drive bays) should be replaced while the system is running. CPUs and RAM require a full system shutdown, adhering to strict Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Protection protocols. 4. **Re-synchronization:** After replacing a drive, the array controller must be instructed to rebuild the RAID set. Performance monitoring during the rebuild is critical, as the system's recovery performance will be temporarily degraded (likely dropping to 50-60% of baseline throughput).
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Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️