The Ransomware Hunting Team

The Ransomware Hunting Team
Author: Renee Dudley
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2022-10-25
Genre: True Crime
ISBN: 0374603316

A real-life technological thriller about a band of eccentric misfits taking on the biggest cybersecurity threats of our time. “What Michael Lewis did for baseball in Moneyball, Renee Dudley and Daniel Golden do brilliantly for the world of ransomware and hackers. Cinematic, big in scope, and meticulously reported, this book is impossible to put down.” —Doug Stanton, New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way and Horse Soldiers Scattered across the world, an elite team of code crackers is working tirelessly to thwart the defining cyber scourge of our time. You’ve probably never heard of them. But if you work for a school, a business, a hospital, or a municipal government, or simply cherish your digital data, you may be painfully familiar with the team’s sworn enemy: ransomware. Again and again, an unlikely band of misfits, mostly self-taught and often struggling to make ends meet, have outwitted the underworld of hackers who lock computer networks and demand huge payments in return for the keys. The Ransomware Hunting Team traces the adventures of these unassuming heroes and how they have used their skills to save millions of ransomware victims from paying billions of dollars to criminals. Working tirelessly from bedrooms and back offices, and refusing payment, they’ve rescued those whom the often hapless FBI has been unwilling or unable to help. Foremost among them is Michael Gillespie, a cancer survivor and cat lover who got his start cracking ransomware while working at a Nerds on Call store in the town of Normal, Illinois. Other teammates include the brilliant, reclusive Fabian Wosar, a high school dropout from Germany who enjoys bantering with the attackers he foils, and his protégé, the British computer science prodigy Sarah White. Together, they have established themselves as the most effective force against an escalating global threat. This book follows them as they put their health, personal relationships, and financial security on the line to navigate the technological and moral challenges of combating digital hostage taking. Urgent, uplifting, and entertaining, Renee Dudley and Daniel Golden’s The Ransomware Hunting Team is a real-life technological thriller that illuminates a dangerous new era of cybercrime.

The Price of Admission (Updated Edition)

The Price of Admission (Updated Edition)
Author: Daniel Golden
Publisher: Crown
Total Pages: 354
Release: 2009-01-21
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0307497372

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A fire-breathing, righteous attack on the culture of superprivilege.”—Michael Wolff, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Fire and Fury, in the New York Times Book Review NOW WITH NEW REPORTING ON OPERATION VARSITY BLUES In this explosive and prescient book, based on three years of investigative report­ing, Pulitzer Prize winner Daniel Golden shatters the myth of an American meri­tocracy. Naming names, along with grades and test scores, Golden lays bare a corrupt system in which middle-class and working-class whites and Asian Ameri­cans are routinely passed over in favor of wealthy white students with lesser credentials—children of alumni, big donors, and celebrities. He reveals how a family donation got Jared Kushner into Harvard, and how colleges comply with Title IX by giving scholarships to rich women in “patrician sports” like horseback riding and crew. With a riveting new chapter on Operation Varsity Blues, based on original re­porting, The Price of Admission is a must-read—not only for parents and students with a personal stake in college admissions but also for those disturbed by the growing divide between ordinary and privileged Americans. Praise for The Price of Admission “A disturbing exposé of the influence that wealth and power still exert on admission to the nation’s most prestigious universities.”—The Washington Post “Deserves to become a classic.”—The Economist

Ransomware Revealed

Ransomware Revealed
Author: Nihad A. Hassan
Publisher: Apress
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2019-11-06
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1484242556

Know how to mitigate and handle ransomware attacks via the essential cybersecurity training in this book so you can stop attacks before they happen. Learn the types of ransomware, distribution methods, internal structure, families (variants), defense strategies, recovery methods, and legal issues related to reporting ransomware incidents to authorities and other affected parties. This book also teaches you how to develop a ransomware incident response plan to minimize ransomware damage and recover normal operations quickly. Ransomware is a category of malware that can encrypt your computer and mobile device files until you pay a ransom to unlock them. Ransomware attacks are considered the most prevalent cybersecurity threats today—the number of new ransomware variants has grown 30-fold since 2015 and they currently account for roughly 40% of all spam messages. Attacks have increased in occurrence from one every 40 seconds to one every 14 seconds. Government and private corporations are targets. Despite the security controls set by organizations to protect their digital assets, ransomware is still dominating the world of security and will continue to do so in the future. Ransomware Revealed discusses the steps to follow if a ransomware infection occurs, such as how to pay the ransom through anonymous payment methods, perform a backup and restore your affected files, and search online to find a decryption tool to unlock (decrypt) your files for free. Mitigation steps are discussed in depth for both endpoint devices and network systems. What You Will Learn Be aware of how ransomware infects your system Comprehend ransomware components in simple terms Recognize the different types of ransomware familiesIdentify the attack vectors employed by ransomware to infect computer systemsKnow how to prevent ransomware attacks from successfully comprising your system and network (i.e., mitigation strategies) Know what to do if a successful ransomware infection takes place Understand how to pay the ransom as well as the pros and cons of paying Set up a ransomware response plan to recover from such attacks Who This Book Is For Those who do not specialize in the cybersecurity field (but have adequate IT skills) and want to fully understand the anatomy of ransomware threats. Although most of the book's content will be understood by ordinary computer users, it will also prove useful for experienced IT users aiming to understand the ins and outs of ransomware threats without diving deep into the technical jargon of the internal structure of ransomware.

Fairness and Crime

Fairness and Crime
Author: Mark S. Davis
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 163
Release: 2024-03-12
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 042967905X

Criminology, the discipline that informs our understanding of crime and justice, is facing an identity crisis. Long dominated by sociology’s view of crime and its causes, criminology has recently witnessed the rise of a new cadre of academics who feel free to explore other explanations. Fairness and Crime: A Theory offers a comprehensive new perspective on criminal behavior that will reinvigorate the field and help us understand why we consider some acts criminal as well as why and how society should respond to those acts. In this book, Mark S. Davis connects the challenges of understanding crime and administering justice to common norms that guide behavior in everyday life. He contends that the exchanges society defines as criminal work basically the way all other exchanges, and when offenders rob banks, bilk investors, or fabricate scientific data, they engage in a violation of fairness norms. Davis offers a theory that is informed by insights from game theory research, anthropology, law, organizational/industrial psychology, personality/social psychology, and sociology. He utilizes examples drawn from everyday life to illustrate the theory’s concepts in detail. Fairness and Crime: A Theory provides a platform from which to explore the purposes of the criminal justice system. What are we trying to accomplish when we prosecute criminal suspects? While one answer is that we are trying to vindicate the moral order and deter future offending, another is that we are attempting to restore equity for victims caused by offenders’ exploitative or retaliatory behavior. Davis contends that addressing unfairness is what the criminal justice system should be about. In rehabilitation, we should be trying to inculcate fairness norms where they are absent or where they have been compromised.

Virtual Natives

Virtual Natives
Author: Catherine D. Henry
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 311
Release: 2023-09-06
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1394171366

The eclipse of Digital Natives and the dawn of virtual culture—how Gen A, Z are radically redefining the future of work, play, economics, and social life. We’re living through what is arguably one of the most exciting, confusing, and powerful social moments in the history of humanity, the shift from the Digital Age to the Virtual Age. This shift is being driven by technology, and the people who are leading it are the ones who know it best: the Virtual Natives. This book will introduce you to the Virtual Native cohort and mindset, decipher their socio-cultural and economic experiences, and unpack their expectations of companies looking to engage, market, or employ them. In this book, we explore: How Virtual Natives are deploying the new technologies driving the virtualized world How relationships and work habits are being virtualized Identify ten main Virtual Native-led behaviors that are upending work and culture How Virtual Natives are evolving their expertise into a full-blown economy This is nothing short of a cultural revolution. Virtual Natives are the driving force behind a seismic change that is redefining the world through technology and virtual worlds: this book tells you how they are navigating everything from AI to Augmented and virtual reality, gaming, blockchain and Web3 in easy, accessible language. To understand the future, read Virtual Natives.

The Art of Cyberwarfare

The Art of Cyberwarfare
Author: Jon DiMaggio
Publisher: No Starch Press
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2022-04-26
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 171850215X

A practical guide to understanding and analyzing cyber attacks by advanced attackers, such as nation states. Cyber attacks are no longer the domain of petty criminals. Today, companies find themselves targeted by sophisticated nation state attackers armed with the resources to craft scarily effective campaigns. This book is a detailed guide to understanding the major players in these cyber wars, the techniques they use, and the process of analyzing their advanced attacks. Whether you’re an individual researcher or part of a team within a Security Operations Center (SoC), you’ll learn to approach, track, and attribute attacks to these advanced actors. The first part of the book is an overview of actual cyber attacks conducted by nation-state actors and other advanced organizations. It explores the geopolitical context in which the attacks took place, the patterns found in the attackers’ techniques, and the supporting evidence analysts used to attribute such attacks. Dive into the mechanisms of: North Korea’s series of cyber attacks against financial institutions, which resulted in billions of dollars stolen The world of targeted ransomware attacks, which have leveraged nation state tactics to cripple entire corporate enterprises with ransomware Recent cyber attacks aimed at disrupting or influencing national elections globally The book’s second part walks through how defenders can track and attribute future attacks. You’ll be provided with the tools, methods, and analytical guidance required to dissect and research each stage of an attack campaign. Here, Jon DiMaggio demonstrates some of the real techniques he has employed to uncover crucial information about the 2021 Colonial Pipeline attacks, among many other advanced threats. He now offers his experience to train the next generation of expert analysts.

Ransomware Protection Playbook

Ransomware Protection Playbook
Author: Roger A. Grimes
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2021-09-14
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1119849136

Avoid becoming the next ransomware victim by taking practical steps today Colonial Pipeline. CWT Global. Brenntag. Travelex. The list of ransomware victims is long, distinguished, and sophisticated. And it's growing longer every day. In Ransomware Protection Playbook, computer security veteran and expert penetration tester Roger A. Grimes delivers an actionable blueprint for organizations seeking a robust defense against one of the most insidious and destructive IT threats currently in the wild. You'll learn about concrete steps you can take now to protect yourself or your organization from ransomware attacks. In addition to walking you through the necessary technical preventative measures, this critical book will show you how to: Quickly detect an attack, limit the damage, and decide whether to pay the ransom Implement a pre-set game plan in the event of a game-changing security breach to help limit the reputational and financial damage Lay down a secure foundation of cybersecurity insurance and legal protection to mitigate the disruption to your life and business A must-read for cyber and information security professionals, privacy leaders, risk managers, and CTOs, Ransomware Protection Playbook is an irreplaceable and timely resource for anyone concerned about the security of their, or their organization's, data.

Study Guide to Threat Hunting

Study Guide to Threat Hunting
Author:
Publisher: Cybellium
Total Pages: 226
Release:
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1836797893

Welcome to the forefront of knowledge with Cybellium, your trusted partner in mastering the cutting-edge fields of IT, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Business, Economics and Science. Designed for professionals, students, and enthusiasts alike, our comprehensive books empower you to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital world. * Expert Insights: Our books provide deep, actionable insights that bridge the gap between theory and practical application. * Up-to-Date Content: Stay current with the latest advancements, trends, and best practices in IT, Al, Cybersecurity, Business, Economics and Science. Each guide is regularly updated to reflect the newest developments and challenges. * Comprehensive Coverage: Whether you're a beginner or an advanced learner, Cybellium books cover a wide range of topics, from foundational principles to specialized knowledge, tailored to your level of expertise. Become part of a global network of learners and professionals who trust Cybellium to guide their educational journey. www.cybellium.com

Handbook of Research on Cyber Crime and Information Privacy

Handbook of Research on Cyber Crime and Information Privacy
Author: Cruz-Cunha, Maria Manuela
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 753
Release: 2020-08-21
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1799857298

In recent years, industries have transitioned into the digital realm, as companies and organizations are adopting certain forms of technology to assist in information storage and efficient methods of production. This dependence has significantly increased the risk of cyber crime and breaches in data security. Fortunately, research in the area of cyber security and information protection is flourishing; however, it is the responsibility of industry professionals to keep pace with the current trends within this field. The Handbook of Research on Cyber Crime and Information Privacy is a collection of innovative research on the modern methods of crime and misconduct within cyber space. It presents novel solutions to securing and preserving digital information through practical examples and case studies. While highlighting topics including virus detection, surveillance technology, and social networks, this book is ideally designed for cybersecurity professionals, researchers, developers, practitioners, programmers, computer scientists, academicians, security analysts, educators, and students seeking up-to-date research on advanced approaches and developments in cyber security and information protection.

Ransomware and Cyber Extortion

Ransomware and Cyber Extortion
Author: Sherri Davidoff
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Total Pages: 416
Release: 2022-10-18
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 0137450435

Protect Your Organization from Devastating Ransomware and Cyber Extortion Attacks Ransomware and other cyber extortion crimes have reached epidemic proportions. The secrecy surrounding them has left many organizations unprepared to respond. Your actions in the minutes, hours, days, and months after an attack may determine whether you'll ever recover. You must be ready. With this book, you will be. Ransomware and Cyber Extortion is the ultimate practical guide to surviving ransomware, exposure extortion, denial-of-service, and other forms of cyber extortion. Drawing heavily on their own unpublished case library, cyber security experts Sherri Davidoff, Matt Durrin, and Karen Sprenger guide you through responding faster, minimizing damage, investigating more effectively, expediting recovery, and preventing it from happening in the first place. Proven checklists help your security teams act swiftly and effectively together, throughout the entire lifecycle--whatever the attack and whatever the source. Understand different forms of cyber extortion and how they evolved Quickly recognize indicators of compromise Minimize losses with faster triage and containment Identify threats, scope attacks, and locate "patient zero" Initiate and manage a ransom negotiation--and avoid costly mistakes Decide whether to pay, how to perform due diligence, and understand risks Know how to pay a ransom demand while avoiding common pitfalls Reduce risks of data loss and reinfection Build a stronger, holistic cybersecurity program that reduces your risk of getting hacked This guide offers immediate value to everyone involved in prevention, response, planning, or policy: CIOs, CISOs, incident responders, investigators, negotiators, executives, legislators, regulators, law enforcement professionals, and others. Register your book for convenient access to downloads, updates, and/or corrections as they become available. See inside book for details.