Ransomware Evolution

Ransomware has changed dramatically over the years. What started as criminals locking up individual computers and demanding relatively small payments has grown into a much larger operation involving stolen data, entire networks, third-party vendors, and increasingly sophisticated ways of pressuring victims to pay. Now AI is adding another wrinkle, giving criminals new tools while also creating some unexpected problems for them.

Joining me to talk about how ransomware has evolved is Allan Liska, a ransomware researcher and Field CISO at Recorded Future. Allan has more than 30 years of experience in information security and has spent the last 12 years researching ransomware. He has advised major corporations and government agencies, served on national ransomware task forces, and written extensively about ransomware and threat intelligence.

We talk about how ransomware became the business it is today, why small businesses can be just as vulnerable as larger organizations, and how attackers are increasingly going after trusted vendors instead of their intended targets directly. We also discuss what happens inside an organization after an attack, why disrupting ransomware groups really can make a difference, how AI is being used by criminals, and some of the mistakes ransomware operators make that ultimately work against them.

Show Notes:

• [01:06] Allan Liska introduces himself and shares how his work at FireEye led him to begin researching ransomware more than a decade ago.
• [03:10] Growing ransomware problems pushed Allan and other researchers to begin developing better detections for attacks that many security teams were overlooking.
• [05:22] Ransomware evolved from attacks on individual computers to taking down entire networks and later stealing data to pressure victims into paying.
• [06:30] Publicly naming victims gave ransomware groups their own form of publicity and made it much harder for organizations to quietly deny an attack.
• [08:05] Encryption creates technical challenges for criminals, and stealing valuable data can sometimes be just as effective as encrypting an organization's systems.
• [09:28] Attackers increasingly target vendors and partners, while some groups are now using AI to create fake stolen data and falsely claim organizations as victims.
• [13:05] Chris and Allan discuss how transparency and regular communication can help organizations manage public trust after a security incident.
• [14:35] Ransomware response can quickly lead to employee burnout, making outside coordination and basic needs like sleep, food, and scheduling an important part of incident management.
• [16:14] A major breach may temporarily open security budgets, so organizations should already know which improvements they would prioritize after an incident.
• [23:29] International law enforcement agencies have become increasingly creative about tracking ransomware operators and waiting for them to make mistakes.
• [25:48] Being skilled at hacking does not necessarily mean criminals are equally skilled at protecting their identities or activities from intelligence agencies.
• [28:21] Ransomware groups frequently make technical and strategic mistakes, including faulty AI-generated tools, reused encryption keys, and stealing data nobody considers valuable.
• [29:36] Fewer ransomware victims are paying, but average payments are increasing, and ransomware remains profitable enough to attract new threat actors.
• [33:09] Allan explains why simply banning ransom payments may not work and discusses approaches that could give governments better intelligence about where payments go.
• [39:33] Collaboration remains an important part of ransomware research, and Allan encourages people entering the field to learn from other researchers and security communities.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

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