Decoding the Cybercriminal Mindset, with Ryan Chapman

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This month’s guest of the Cyber Insider is Ryan Chapman. Ryan is the author of SANS Forensics FOR528: Ransomware and Cyber Extortion along with a Certified Instructor for SANS. In his day job, he functions as a consultant for threat hunting and incident response. Ryan often presents at conferences, including running workshops the last 4 years running at DefCon. In his free time he spends time with his daughter watching anime, plays plenty of Street Fighter, and enjoys playing retro video games. 
 
Ryan highlights the significance of security fundamentals in preventing cyberattacks. He emphasizes that many organizations still struggle with basic security practices, such as implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) and patching vulnerabilities.  In this podcast episode, we also touch on the topic of understanding cybercriminal mindset and how it can help in the fight against ransomware:  
"Engaging with cybercriminals through interviews can help humanize them and provide valuable insights into their motivations and tactics."   
By conducting interviews and engaging with threat actors, researchers and law enforcement agencies can gain valuable insights into their mindset and strategies. Our guest cites the example of ransomware actor Wazawaka, who has been known to provide interviews and share insights into the ransomware landscape. These interviews not only shed light on the tactics employed by cybercriminals but also provide valuable information for prevention and mitigation strategies.  

All this and much more is discussed in this episode of The Cyber Insider podcast by Emsisoft, the award-winning cybersecurity company delivering top-notch security solutions for over 20 years.   

Be sure to tune in and subscribe to The Cyber Insider to get your monthly inside scoop on cybersecurity. 
 
Hosts:  
Luke Connolly – partner manager at Emsisoft  
Brett Callow – threat analyst at Emsisoft  
 
Intro/outro music: “Intro funk” by Lowtone.