The Threat Continues To Rise:
Preparing for Ransomware Attacks

Preparing for the worst

Since computers first became widespread some have wanted to disrupt their use. First on infected floppy disks then USB sticks then via the internet, viruses and other malware have caused anything from mild annoyance to severe problems. But rapid increases in attack sophistication and the rise of anonymous payment methods (eg. bitcoin) have turned this background annoyance into a global criminal industry. A successful ransomware attack can literally obliterate an organisation. Indeed, Cybersecurity Ventures forecast that by 2025 the global annual cost of cybercrime will reach US$10.5 trillion, much of which will be in payments to the perpetrators. If this figure is even remotely close to the reality, cybercrime will indeed be paying handsomely.

Responding to this threat needs the involvement of the entire business and its leadership and is most certainly not a role purely for technology and security professionals. The threat of ransomware therefore needs to sit top and center for risk, continuity, and resilience professionals, and it is in recognition of this that our next event is focusing entirely on this issue. We have three speakers who are each immersed in assisting and guiding their clients through ransomware threats. They will be taking us through what they have learned and helping us understand how best to both prepare for and respond to a ransomware attack.

Alex Sagovsky, Director, Crisis Management and Cyber Resilience, PwC UK will set the scene by explaining the nature and scale of the challenge presented by cybercrime, the approaches taken during a typical ransomware attack, and the possible outcomes. He will explain how you can best prepare to respond to a successful attack, and thereby help to prevent your organisation from being returned to a pre-IT era for weeks or even months. The stakes could hardly be higher.

Kate Brader, Managing Director at FTI Consulting, a crisis communication specialist, will move us into a post-attack world and how best to respond if, despite our best efforts, the attack is successful. Global corporations have learned that a successful ransomware attack on one part of their organisation cannot be isolated — it compromises the reputation of the brand as a whole. Few are better positioned than Kate to explain how.

To conclude, Mark Saunders, Information Security Consultant, STORM Guidance will assume the worst. Our defences have been breached, our response has either failed or been insufficient, and we are left with just two choices: rebuild our systems over quite possibly months or negotiate. Many consider that this is not a time for morality to hold sway so if negotiation is the choice, and it often is, how is it best conducted in order to minimise cost but expedite a rapid return to normality.This final topic is most certainly not for the fainthearted.

How Can I Attend?

In-person: The Shard, London

Live Broadcast: 10:30 – 11:30am (UK Time)

Hosted Encore Presentation: 5:00 – 6:00pm (UK Time)

The event will run from 10:30am to 11:30am (UK time) on 30 March, 2022, followed by a 30 minute question-the-panel for those able to stay on.

For those attending the live event, the venue is:

CLDigital
Floor 24
The Shard
London Bridge Street
London SE1 9SG

Seats in the room will be strictly limited and allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

For those attending remotely the Zoom Webinar details will be sent out on registration.