Ransomware Revolution: The Rise Of A Prodigious Cyber Threat

Description

This book explores the genesis of ransomware and how the parallel emergence of encryption technologies has elevated ransomware to become the most prodigious cyber threat that enterprises are confronting. It also investigates the driving forces behind what has been dubbed the ‘ransomware revolution’ after a series of major attacks beginning in 2013, and how the advent of cryptocurrencies provided the catalyst for the development and increased profitability of ransomware, sparking a phenomenal rise in the number and complexity of ransomware attacks. This book analyzes why the speed of technology adoption has been a fundamental factor in the continued success of financially motivated cybercrime, and how the ease of public access to advanced encryption techniques has allowed malicious actors to continue to operate with increased anonymity across the internet. This anonymity has enabled increased collaboration between attackers, which has aided the development of new ransomware attacks, and led to an increasing level of technical complexity in ransomware attacks. This book highlights that the continuous expansion and early adoption of emerging technologies may be beyond the capacity of conventional risk managers and risk management frameworks. Researchers and advanced level students studying or working in computer science, business or criminology will find this book useful as a reference or secondary text. Professionals working in cybersecurity, cryptography, information technology, financial crime (and other related topics) will also welcome this book as a reference. Foreword......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Contents......Page 9 List of Acronyms......Page 10 List of Figures......Page 12 List of Tables......Page 14 Chapter 1: Introduction......Page 15 1.1 The Problem......Page 18 1.2 Academic Foundations......Page 22 1.3 The Congress of Disciplines......Page 25 References......Page 27 Chapter 2: Genesis of Ransomware......Page 30 2.1 Ransomware Taxonomy......Page 31 2.2 Classification......Page 33 2.3 Situation Evaluation......Page 34 2.4 Recovery Times......Page 36 2.5 Ransomware Countermeasures......Page 37 2.5.2 Effective Countermeasures......Page 38 2.5.3 Alternative Approaches to Countering Ransomware......Page 40 2.6 Major Ransomware Attacks......Page 41 2.7 Conclusion......Page 42 References......Page 43 3.1 Applied Cryptography......Page 45 3.2 Evolution of Applied Cryptography......Page 47 3.3 Public Demand for Encryption......Page 48 3.4 No Compromises......Page 50 References......Page 52 4.1 Cybercrime Economics......Page 54 4.2 Economics of Ransomware......Page 55 4.2.1 Monetising Data......Page 56 4.2.2 Request for Payment......Page 60 4.2.3 Payment Predicaments......Page 62 4.3.1 Black and Darknet Markets......Page 64 4.3.2 Darknet Forums......Page 66 4.4 Cryptocurrencies......Page 67 4.4.1 Coercion through Simplification......Page 68 4.4.2 Bitcoin......Page 69 4.4.3 Ransomware and Bitcoin Tracing......Page 71 4.5 Changing Market Conditions......Page 72 4.6 Conclusion......Page 73 References......Page 74 5.1 Gameover Zeus......Page 76 5.1.1 Attack Methodology......Page 77 5.1.3 Resolution and Attribution......Page 79 5.1.4 Results......Page 80 5.2 WannaCry......Page 81 5.2.1 Attack Methodology......Page 82 5.2.2 Request for Payment......Page 83 5.2.3 Resolution and Attribution......Page 84 5.2.4 Results......Page 85 5.3 NotPetya......Page 86 5.3.1 Attack Methodology......Page 87 5.3.2 Request for Payment......Page 88 5.3.3 Resolution and Attribution......Page 89 5.3.4 Results......Page 90 5.4.1 Attack Methodology......Page 93 5.4.3 Resolution and Attribution......Page 95 5.4.4 Results......Page 96 5.5 Chapter Conclusions......Page 97 References......Page 99 6.1 The Influence of Emerging Technologies......Page 103 6.1.1 Internet-Enabled and Internet-Connected Devices......Page 105 6.2.1 Risk Management Frameworks......Page 107 6.3 Cyber Skills Deficiencies......Page 110 6.3.1 Cybersecurity Leaders......Page 112 6.4 Practical Risk Management......Page 114 6.4.1 External Risk......Page 115 6.4.2 Network Containment and Segregation......Page 116 6.5 Conclusions......Page 117 References......Page 118 7.1 The Impact of Encryption Technologies on Law Enforcement......Page 120 7.2 Ransomware’s Building Block......Page 123 7.3 Applied Cryptography......Page 124 7.3.1 Encryption Backdoors......Page 125 7.3.3 Anonymity on the Internet......Page 126 7.4 Considerations for Practice......Page 129 7.4.1 Risk Profiles Must Change......Page 131 7.5 Reflections on a Professional Services and Academic Quandary......Page 132 References......Page 134 Chapter 8: Failed Translations......Page 136 8.1.1 Translating Defence-in-Depth......Page 137 8.1.2 Defence-in-Breadth......Page 139 8.2.1 Fort Eben-Emael......Page 140 8.3 States Versus Enterprise Cyber Defences......Page 142 8.4 Cyber Dreams of Physical......Page 143 8.4.1 The Armed Robber......Page 144 8.4.2 Burglary......Page 145 8.4.4 External Reference Data......Page 146 8.5 Diverging Translations......Page 147 8.6 Conclusions......Page 149 References......Page 150 9.1 The Sociology and Psychology of Ransomware......Page 151 9.2 Attacker Motives......Page 153 9.3 Rational Choice Theory......Page 154 9.4 Expected Utility Theory......Page 156 9.5 Prospect Theory......Page 157 9.7 Conclusion......Page 158 References......Page 159 Chapter 10: Conclusion......Page 161