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The Ransomware Task Force (RTF)

Combating the ransomware threat with a cross-sector approach

The Ransomware Task Force (RTF) is a multistakeholder effort with participation from across government, industry, and civil society.

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Hotlines for the Digital Age: Improving communications in cyber-generated national security crises

Blog

Hotlines for the Digital Age: Improving communications in cyber-generated national security crises

What do countries that don’t have regular high-level security communications pathways do when their critical digital infrastructure is under cyber attack, and the cyber attack appears to be coming from the territory of a country on the other side of the globe? An ongoing negotiation convened under the United Nations First Committee is building a structure to make clear and urgent communication on cybersecurity incidents accessible to every government. 
hotlines, Ransomware, Russia, United Nations
July 6, 2023
Mapping Threat Actor Behavior in the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: A Mini-Pilot

Report

Mapping Threat Actor Behavior in the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: A Mini-Pilot

This mini-pilot overlays actual threat actor behavior on the original ransomware payment ecosystem map. It seeks to identify which kinds of disruption could be the most effective and where to apply them in the payment process.
cybersecurity, mini pilot, ransom payments, Ransomware
May 22, 2023
IST announces new partners, funding to advance the Future of Digital Security for 2023

Blog

IST announces new partners, funding to advance the Future of Digital Security for 2023

New donors joining the Ransomware Task Force, together with $1 million in additional support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Cyber Initiative, and a total of $1 million from Craig Newmark Philanthropies for 2023 will transform our ability to advance the Future of Digital Security. 
Craig Newmark, Cyber Civil Defense, philanthropy, Ransomware
May 9, 2023
Ransomware Task Force: Gaining Ground

Event

May 5, 2023 10:00 am

Ransomware Task Force: Gaining Ground

Ransomware remains a dire threat to businesses, schools, hospitals, individuals, and nations alike. On May 5, 2023, IST hosted a day of reflections on the current status of the ransomware threat, the Ransomware Task Force’s efforts, and what’s to come.
cryptocurrency, Cyber Civil Defense, cybersecurity, operational collaboration, Ransomware
May 5, 2023
May 2023 Progress Report: Ransomware Task Force: Gaining Ground

Progress Report

May 2023 Progress Report: Ransomware Task Force: Gaining Ground

As of May 2023, 92% of the 48 RTF recommendations have seen some action, with 50% experiencing significant progress, including through legislation and policy adoption.This report walks readers through the RTF’s second year, acknowledging tremendous shifts in the ecosystem, especially in light of the war in Ukraine, and highlights key areas of progress.
disruption, incident reporting, progress report, ransom payments, Ransomware
May 5, 2023
IST at RSA: Stronger Together

Blog

IST at RSA: Stronger Together

Members of the IST team will be making their way to San Francisco next week for the RSA 2023 Conference. The theme of this year’s RSA conference is “Stronger Together,” an idea that is particularly prevalent in our work.
Cyber Civil Defense, cybersecurity, Ransomware, RSA
April 20, 2023
Megan Stifel on Cyber Civil Defense: “We all have a role to play in creating a more sustainable digital future”

Blog

Megan Stifel on Cyber Civil Defense: “We all have a role to play in creating a more sustainable digital future”

Last week, IST’s Megan Stifel joined Stronger Together, a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the Cyber Civil Defense initiative, hosted by Aspen Digital and Craig Newmark. She reflects, “Just as civil defense spans individuals, government, and organizations, with Craig’s generous support we have also been working to empower the smallest organizations and leverage the capabilities of the biggest for the improved security of all.”
Cyber Civil Defense
April 20, 2023
IST expands experience, expertise with four adjunct technical and policy advisors

Blog

IST expands experience, expertise with four adjunct technical and policy advisors

IST is excited to welcome Jen Ellis and Jeff Greene as Adjunct Senior Policy Advisors and Bryson Bort and Jason Kikta, who will join us as Adjunct Senior Technical Advisors.
announcements, cybersecurity, hiring, Ransomware
April 3, 2023
Commitment to Cybersecurity at a Global Scale: IST at the Cybersecurity Leadership Program in Costa Rica

Blog

Commitment to Cybersecurity at a Global Scale: IST at the Cybersecurity Leadership Program in Costa Rica

IST's Zoë Brammer and Elizabeth Vish headed to Costa Rica last week to present at the Cybersecurity Leadership Program. In their conversations with Latin American government officials and private sector representatives, they were struck by a shared sense of urgency to address ransomware.
Blueprint for Ransomware Defense, Costa Rica, cybersecurity, incident reporting, Ransomware
March 20, 2023
Cyber Incident Reporting Framework: Global Edition

Report

Cyber Incident Reporting Framework: Global Edition

Multiple industry groups, led by the Cyber Threat Alliance and IST, have come together to identify a set of principles and develop a model reporting format that governments worldwide could use. The Cyber Incident Reporting Framework: Global Edition answers questions about what conditions should be in place to make a reporting mandate effective and harmonizes suggested definitions with existing global regulations.
CIRCIA, CISA, cybersecurity, incident reporting
March 9, 2023
IST Reviews the 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy: Analysis and Next Steps

Blog

IST Reviews the 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy: Analysis and Next Steps

The Biden administration today released its 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy. We note 3 key priorities from the strategy that have the potential to directly affect our work.
cyber resilience, National Cybersecurity Strategy, operational collaboration, software
March 2, 2023
2022 Developments: Expanding Cyber Threat Landscape, Growing Tensions Around Transparency, and Increasing Focus on Cyber Capacity Building

Blog

2022 Developments: Expanding Cyber Threat Landscape, Growing Tensions Around Transparency, and Increasing Focus on Cyber Capacity Building

In 2022, cybersecurity took center stage. Three prominent developments stand out: first, cyber threats are multiplying, drawing increasing attention from professionals across multiple economic sectors; second, assumptions about the benefits of technology-driven transparency seem increasingly tenuous; and third, a growing consensus about the range of cyber threats is breathing new life into efforts at cyber capacity building. 
capacity building, cyber espionage, open-source, Ransomware, transparency
February 2, 2023
Eighteen Months On: Continued Progress on Ransomware Task Force Recommendations

Blog

Eighteen Months On: Continued Progress on Ransomware Task Force Recommendations

In the 6 months since the publication of the Ransomware Task Force (RTF) Progress Report this May, we have seen a great deal of action to combat ransomware, but we have also seen the scale of the threat continue to grow, even as stakeholders continue to focus on it.
deter, disrupt, incident reporting, prepare, progress report, Ransomware, respond
December 5, 2022
Scaling What’s Successful: Discussions on Countering Ransomware at the Paris Peace Forum

Blog

Scaling What’s Successful: Discussions on Countering Ransomware at the Paris Peace Forum

On November 11, IST's Elizabeth Vish joined experts from across the cybersecurity community at the Paris Peace Forum to discuss ways public-private partnerships can address the ransomware crisis.
cybersecurity, Paris Peace Forum, Public-private partnerships, Ransomware
December 2, 2022
Cyber Resilience and Insurance Innovation

Event

November 30, 2022 1:00 pm

Cyber Resilience and Insurance Innovation

With the rise in volume and sophistication of ransomware, insurance companies and their insureds struggle with how to respond. This has driven new underwriting requirements and price changes but also innovation. On November 22, 2022, the Ransomware Task Force hosted the fifth webinar in the Blueprint for Ransomware Defense webinar series.
Blueprint for Ransomware Defense, cyber insurance, cybersecurity, Ransomware, resilience
November 30, 2022
Mapping the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: A Comprehensive Visualization of the Process and Participants

Report

Mapping the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: A Comprehensive Visualization of the Process and Participants

Central to our ability to mitigate the threat of ransomware is the development of a common understanding of the actors, stakeholders, processes, and information, both required for and produced during the ransomware payment process. Yet, when we began this work, such a picture did not exist. We undertook this effort to fill that gap.
mapping, ransom payments, Ransomware, visualization
November 15, 2022