KnowBe4, a provider of security awareness training and a simulated phishing platform, have announced the release of a resource kit for IT managers as part of a month-long effort in July to increase awareness of ransomware, its many forms and methods used by cybercriminals to extort funds.  

Ransomware is a type of malicious attack where attackers encrypt an organisation’s data and demand payment to restore access. This has evolved to include the exfiltration and threatened exposure of valuable information, compounding the extortion. This is one of the many ways bad actors take advantage of the human element in cybersecurity.

According to the 2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, ransomware is present today in more than 62% of all incidents committed by organised cybercriminals and in 59% of all incidents with a financial motivation. And the 2022 Internet Crime Report, issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center, found that ransomware alone racked up $34.3 million in losses in 2022.  

“Unfortunately, a majority of organisations have experienced at least one ransomware attack within the last year,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. “In order to attempt to stop ransomware attacks, organisations must have a preventative strategy that aligns with the way these types of attacks start.

“Creating a snowball effect, cybercriminals are ramping up the extortion aspect of ransomware, making damages even worse and recovery that much more challenging. This is something that can only be addressed by creating a proper security culture with security awareness training at the centre of it all.” 

The KnowBe4 2023 Ransomware Awareness Month Resource Kit includes the following resources:  

• Access to a free on-demand Ransomware Master Class webinar featuring Roger Grimes, KnowBe4’s Data-Driven Defence Evangelist 
• KnowBe4’s most popular white paper: Ransomware Hostage Rescue Manual and supplemental Attack Response and Prevention Checklists 
• A seven-minute video that explains The Evolution and Future of Ransomware 
• A new infographic on The Global Cost of Ransomware  
• Posters and digital signage to remind users about what to watch out for 

To download the KnowBe4 Ransomware Awareness Month Resource Kit, visit https://www.knowbe4.com/ransomware-resource-kit.