The #1 Cybercrime of 2020: Ransomware (S1E18)

When a federal information professional hears the phrase “ransomware” they may think of some small attack on one of the millions of consumers out there.

Well, it is time to get serious.

During this discussion, you will hear of two separate, but similar, attacks on hospitals. One attack was so severe they had to burn the servers down to the ground. They had to use paper forms for twenty-three days. The other hospital was attacked in the same manner, but they managed to mediate the problem. Neither one paid the ransom.

One of the directors of information from Sky Lakes Medical center gives a provocative blow-by-blow review of the mitigation effort. He suggests developing relationships with vendors who can provide service 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

This discussion also includes subject matter experts from the Department of Homeland Security as well as Infoblox, a leading cybersecurity vendor.

Ransomware was the #1 crime of 2020 and is getting more sophisticated. During the interview, you will hear recommendations from DHS’s Homeland Security Investigation. Jason Canboy, Special Agent Program Manager, Dept of Homeland Security, will send a shudder down your spine when he talks about malicious actors moving from custom attacks to something called “Ransomware as a Service.” Ransomware attacks are getting so well known, that attackers do not need to understand the meticulous detail of a cyber-attack, they can merely pay a fee and have the attack code at their disposal.

Chris Usserman, Principal Security Architect at Infoblox Federal, suggests that handling the response to a a ransomware attack is like contract tracing for COVID – you must have a detailed record of the attack and inform the cybercommunity to help prevent others from this attack.

To view this webinar: The #1 Cybercrime of 2020: Ransomware.

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