EP206 Paying the Price: Ransomware's Rising Stakes in the Cloud

Guest:

• Allan Liska, CSIRT at Recorded Future, now part of Mastercard 

Topics:

• Ransomware has become a pervasive threat. Could you provide us with a brief overview of the current ransomware landscape?
• It's often said that ransomware is driven by pure profit. Can you remind us of  the business model of ransomware gangs, including how they operate, their organizational structures, and their financial motivations?
• Ransomware gangs are becoming increasingly aggressive in their extortion tactics. Can you shed some light on these new tactics, such as data leaks, DDoS attacks, and threats to contact victims' customers or partners?
• What specific challenges and considerations arise when dealing with ransomware in cloud environments, and how can organizations adapt their security strategies to mitigate these risks?
• What are the key factors to consider when deciding whether or not to pay the ransom?
• What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to organizations looking to bolster their defenses against ransomware? 

Resources:

• Video (LinkedIn, YouTube)
• 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report
• EP89 Can We Escape Ransomware by Migrating to the Cloud?
• EP45 VirusTotal Insights on Ransomware Business and Technology
• EP29 Future of EDR: Is It Reason-able to Suggest XDR?
• EP204 Beyond PCAST: Phil Venables on the Future of Resilience and Leading Indicators