Even as highly effective vaccinations are starting to lift some nations out of the COVID-19 pandemic, a ransomware pandemic continues to rage across computer networks worldwide. In 2020, 51% of organizations were hit by a ransomware attack, according to a report by Sophos.1 Recent ransomware attacks forced the Colonial Pipeline and JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, to temporarily halt operations. The Washington Post reports that “Experts say continued ransomware threats are inevitable, calling on businesses and governments to ramp up efforts to secure their online networks.” 

As a former “Black Hat” hacker, Hector Monsegur understands bad actors, their motivations, and how they operate. He now resides on the good side as an offensive security-focused “Red Team” researcher. He works with organizations to emulate how cybercriminals might attack defenses to help defensefocused “Blue Teams” better understand their risks, uncover, and address gaps in defenses, and prioritize future security investments. Andy Stone, Field CTO, Americas for Pure Storage, is a former CISO who focused on defensive cybersecurity.