Cyber Defense eMagazine December Edition for 2021

the file. This was a great technique that worked well for many years until the threat actors developed
fileless and polymorphic attacks (code that changes dynamically and has no signature).
Traditionally, the focus of cyberattacks was disruption and bragging rights, very few focused on the
economics of making money directly from the endeavor. Until the rise of cryptocurrency in the early part
of the century (2009 to be precise) it was difficult for cybercriminals to make money directly from an
attack. Often it was state sponsored attacks that fueled growth. The economics focused around the loss
of business or the negative impact on stock prices from the attack or pump-and-dump schemes that
influenced the price of stocks short term.
Cybercrime changed forever in 2013 when the first successful ransomware appeared. Dubbed
CryptoLocker, it was enclosed as an email attachment and encrypted most files on the target device,
offering to decrypt only when a ransom was paid. Thanks to cryptocurrency the payments were virtually
impossible to track. This was the beginning of a new era and one that continues to reach new highs every
year.
In 2021 we have seen devasting attacks across the globe. The top cyberattacks of 2021 such as CNA
Financial, Colonial Pipeline and JBS Foods helped raise awareness and capture the minds of
governments and citizens alike. Ransomware attacks are now so prevalent that TV shows regularly
develop plotlines around ransomware, recent examples include “The Good Doctor” and “9-1-1”.
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