Langford added that AI-based social engineering, primarily to craft more convincing phishing lures, is widely used.
Marketplaces offer an a la carte menu where cybercriminals can contract services for initial access, exfiltration, or negotiation with victims, according to Langford, who added that many if not all of the principal players in the ransomware scene “speak Russian.”
Countermeasures
Law enforcement takedowns are curtailing the growth of ransomware operations, but businesses also need to play their part in defence, Halcyon advises.