Archive

Ransomware

Roadmap to Potential Prohibition of Ransomware Payments

The Ransomware Task Force Co-Chairs present a roadmap to potential prohibition of ransomware payments with 16 milestones that, if pursued concurrently by government and the private sector, could reduce the need for a prohibition of ransomware payments in the first place or facilitate its eventual imposition.

ransom payments, Ransomware, roadmap

April 10, 2024

Public Private Partnerships to Combat Ransomware: An inquiry into three case studies and best practices

IST, in collaboration with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise and in support of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative, examines three existing public-private partnerships to combat ransomware: Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), the United States Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC), and the Institute for Security and Technology’s Ransomware Task Force (RTF). What challenges did they face? What does an ideal public-private partnership look like?

CISA, cyber, EC3, European Cybercrime Centre, JCDC, Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, PPPs, Public-private partnerships, Ransomware

March 27, 2024

February 15, 2024 11:00 am

Unpacking a Potential Ban on Ransom Payments: Implications, Alternatives, and What’s Next

Ransomware continues to threaten organizations, governments, schools, and even lives. Ransomware actors are primarily profit-motivated. Would a ban meaningfully decrease payments, and if so, would criminals shift away from this tactic? On February 15, IST hosted a webinar to assess the ecosystem’s level of preparedness for a ban, unpack the implications of a ban across industries, and discuss what comes next.

incident reporting, ransom payments, Ransomware, resilience

February 15, 2024

Episode 32: CISA’s Critical Infrastructure Protection Mission with Jen Easterly

In this episode of Hack the Plant, Bryson sits down with CISA Director Jen Easterly to discuss her work on leading CISA’s critical infrastructure mission, implementing efforts to make products Secure by Design, and working with private companies to combat ransomware.

CISA, critical infrastructure, cyber, Ransomware

February 2, 2024

“Bringing disparate voices together to work on hard problems”: Philip Reiner reflects on Singapore International Cyber Week and INTERPOL’s Global Cybercrime Conference

Philip Reiner, IST CEO, reflects on his his travels to Singapore to attend both Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) and INTERPOL’s Global Cybercrime Conference (IGCC), two annual conferences that bring together international leaders from across government, the private sector, and academia to discuss the evolving cyber threat landscape.

cybersecurity, Ransomware, Singapore International Cyber Week

November 8, 2023

2022 RTF Global Ransomware Incident Map: Attacks continue worldwide, groups splinter, education sector hit hard

Ransomware is a global threat. In our third annual Global Ransomware Incident Map, Silas Cutler focuses on understanding the forces driving changes in victimology and on tracking new trends in previously under-reported geographic areas.

Conti, incident map, Ransomware, Ukraine

October 31, 2023

IST Partners with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise to Research Public-Private Cyber Partnerships

As the Institute for Security and Technology continues to engage in cross-sector efforts to combat ransomware through the Ransomware Task Force, we are excited to launch a new research initiative in collaboration with the Global Forum for Cyber Expertise (GFCE).

EC3, JCDC, Public-private partnerships, Ransomware, RTF

September 29, 2023

Putting the Blueprint for Ransomware Defense to the Test

One year after the release of the Blueprint for Ransomware Defense, IST has partnered with cyber insurance company Resilience to test the framework’s effectiveness in protecting enterprises against ransomware attacks. In a review of 38 attacks, IST’s Zoë Brammer found that 68% could have been prevented by proper implementation of the Blueprint’s Safeguards.

Blueprint for Ransomware Defense, cyber insurance, points of failure, Ransomware

August 28, 2023

August 23, 2023 1:00 pm

Ransomware Roundup: LockBit, Payment Bans, and Trends

On August 23, 2023, IST adjunct advisors and members of the Ransomware Task Force Jen Ellis, Marc Rogers, Jason Kikta, and Silas Cutler hosted a popup webinar on the latest ransomware news.

LockBit, ransom payments, Ransomware

August 23, 2023

IST Statement on the National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan

In our review of the National Cybersecurity Strategy upon its release this March, we emphasized the importance of implementation: “success will require resources, collaboration, and consultation with partners across the private sector, international arena, and cybersecurity community.” The National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan released today marks significant progress in this direction.

cybersecurity, implementation plan, National Cybersecurity Strategy, Ransomware

July 13, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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