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Anatomy of a Ransomware Attack

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National and global ransomware cases continue to come to light, allowing us to develop a comprehensive picture of the national and economic security threats we face from ransomware groups. As they do, we gain insight on the infrastructure and networks

<a class="btn btn-long btn-outline-orange" href="https://www.veracast.com/webcasts/mofo/mcle_programs/WD9KdJ.cfm">VIEW NOW</a>National and global ransomware cases continue to come to light, allowing us to develop a comprehensive picture of the national and economic security threats we face from ransomware groups. As they do, we gain insight on the infrastructure and networks that allow these threats to persist and study the various components of an attack to develop strategies that enhance companies resiliency.Join MoFo partners Brandon Van Grack, Alex Iftimie, and Miriam Wugmeister for a Data Protection Masterclass Webinar where they will discuss everything you want to know about ransomware but have not been able to ask.Topics to be addressed include:<ul><li>Should you click on the link in a ransomware note?</li><li>Should you notify law enforcement and when?</li><li>Should you engage a third party negotiator?</li><li>What do you do if the threat actor is a sanctioned entity?</li><li>How do you document your decision to pay or not to pay?</li><li>Should you purchase bitcoin in case you need to pay?</li></ul>If you were unable to attend our recent webinar, please find a link to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.veracast.com/webcasts/mofo/mcle_programs/WD9KdJ.cfm">on-demand replay</a>, which will remain active through January 5, 2022. We hope it will provide worthwhile and practical takeaways for your organization. For additional information on this and related topics, visit our <a href="/special-content/cybersecurity-resources/">Cybersecurity Resource Center</a><a class="btn btn-long btn-outline-orange" href="https://www.veracast.com/webcasts/mofo/mcle_programs/WD9KdJ.cfm">VIEW NOW</a><hr>

Anatomy of a Ransomware Attack

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Few lawyers in the world have Miriam Wugmeister’s breadth and understanding of privacy and data security laws, obligations, and practices. As co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s preeminent Global Privacy and Data Security Group, Miriam is regularly called upon by some of the world’s largest and most complex multinational organizations to confront their most difficult U.S. and international privacy and cybersecurity challenges. Ranked among the top in the profession by all major directories, her clients say: “Miriam is the best privacy counsel in the country that I have ever worked with. Her advice is always spot-on, practical, and helpful, and her judgment is impeccable.” “Miriam is a true leader in her field. I appreciate her brilliance and expertise.” “She keeps up with a rapidly evolving area and is quick to answer the most challenging questions with practical guidance a business can use.” (Chambers USA).Having helped hundreds of clients respond to cybersecurity incidents, Miriam works with companies to develop comprehensive customized incident response plans, training staff, conducting extensive tabletop exercises, and addressing key issues with boards of directors and executive management. Miriam advises organizations on the planning and execution of complex global compliance efforts and defends regulatory and litigation matters relating to privacy and cybersecurity in the United States and internationally. She serves as an arbitrator for the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework Binding Arbitration Program. Miriam regularly advises on the global collection, use, and sharing of employee, customer, vendor, and consumer personal information. She also counsels clients on cutting-edge issues surrounding emerging technologies such as the ethical tech, generative AI, telematics, and Big Data.Miriam serves as a board member of the <a href="https://sustainability.adp.com/adp-innovation-strategy.html#:~:text=In%20harnessing%20the%20power%20of%20big%20data%20through,that%20involve%20artificial%20intelligence%2C%20ML%20and%20big%20data." target="_blank" style="direction: ltr;text-align: left;">ADP AI & Data Ethics Committee</a> and is a leader in <a href="https://www.mofo.com/capabilities/artificial-intelligence">MoFo’s AI Group</a>, a cross-practice team that provides sophisticated, full-service representation to a wide range of clients with companies that both develop and use cutting-edge, rapidly changing technology in the AI space. Miriam uses her extensive industry experience and collaborative global approach to provide her clients fast access to the newest trends and developments in AI.As leader of the Global Privacy Alliance (GPA), Miriam encourages the rational development of privacy laws around the world and monitors privacy practices, laws, and regulations globally. On behalf of the GPA’s members, she takes an active role in anticipating upcoming privacy legislation and educating regulators on the commercial implications of proposed regulations.Chambers USA and Chambers Global recommend Miriam in the top tier of privacy and data security lawyers worldwide, with clients commenting to Chambers USA that she is “extremely practical and phenomenally smart. Just about one of the best privacy advisers there is,” and The Legal 500 US recognizing her as a leading lawyer for her “professionalism and strong international presence.” For her work in data protection and privacy, Miriam was an inaugural inductee into The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, which is comprised of outstanding U.S. lawyers who have been recommended as The Legal 500 “Leading Lawyers” for the last six consecutive years. She has been named one of Financial Times’ “Top 10 Innovative Lawyers in North America” and a National Law Journal “Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Trailblazer” for her breakthrough work in this space. Miriam was previously designated an Ethisphere “Attorney Who Matters” and a BTI Client Service All-Star, and she is featured in Best Lawyers in America, 2021.

Miriam Wugmeister

Partner

Brandon L. Van Grack co-chairs Morrison Foerster’s National Security and Global Risk + Crisis Management groups. His practice focuses on investigations, criminal defense, and compliance matters involving sanctions and export controls, foreign investment, and cyber incidents. Brandon’s arrival to Morrison Foerster follows more than a decade of service at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), where he held multiple senior national security positions. In those positions, he helped identify and manage the U.S. government’s tools to address perceived national security threats in China and Russia, oversaw every criminal investigation involving sanctions and export controls, was Chief of DOJ’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit, and served as a lead prosecutor for Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation of the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.Brandon’s leadership and breadth of national security experience offers clients in the financial services, technology, healthcare, defense, media, and communications sectors unmatched insider enforcement perspective across the entire national security landscape, including sanctions, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), export control, cybersecurity matters, and FARA.<h4>Investigations & White Collar Defense</h4>At the DOJ, Brandon led and supervised some of the government’s most notable national security investigations. He served as Senior Assistant Special Counsel for the Special Counsel’s Office, handling some of the office’s most significant matters. As one of Special Counsel Mueller’s top deputies, Brandon led the investigation and prosecution of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and was a key member of the trial team that successfully prosecuted Paul Manafort, a former presidential campaign manager. Prior to the appointment of Special Counsel Mueller, Brandon headed the entire Russia investigation, at the direction of the Acting Attorney General.Brandon also managed significant corporate investigations and resolutions across the national security spectrum. As Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and a Trial Attorney in the Counterintelligence & Export Control Section, he worked on the resolution of almost every significant corporate matter pertaining to export control and sanctions violations in the last decade and is one of the few attorneys to have managed the DOJ’s Voluntary Self-Disclosure Program for export control and sanctions violations. As Chief of the FARA Unit, he directed scores of investigations of companies for acting as unregistered foreign agents.<h4>Sanctions, Export Control, & Foreign Investment</h4>As Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, Brandon oversaw every criminal investigation involving export control and sanctions and led the DOJ’s response to the Obama Administration’s rollback of sanctions targeting Iran—the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). As a Trial Attorney, he prosecuted more than 30 export control and sanctions cases, including first‑ever cases involving North Korea, weapons of mass destruction, and the Atomic Energy Act. Brandon has also handled the review of transactions before CFIUS and Team Telecom across multiple administrations. During the Obama Administration, he managed the DOJ’s review of transactions before CFIUS and more recently led DOJ’s review of transactions involving foreign influence before CFIUS and Team Telecom.<h4>FARA and the Lobbying Disclosure Act</h4>As Chief of the FARA Unit, and the first official to supervise all foreign influence matters across the DOJ, Brandon revitalized and transformed the enforcement of FARA. Following the DOJ’s announcement making FARA an enforcement priority, he supervised a team of 40 attorneys and staff that opened a record number of investigations, pursued a record number of enforcement actions, secured a record number of registrations, and obtained the first civil injunction involving FARA in nearly three decades. Brandon also directed the review of Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings for criminal violations and regulated the exemption under FARA for LDA registrants. Currently, he is writing the book on FARA enforcement for the American Bar Association.<h4>Cybersecurity</h4>As a long-time prosecutor, including as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brandon directed complex cyber investigations, including multiple matters involving state-sponsored cyberattacks. He prosecuted the first person convicted as a cyberterrorist and led the investigation of an international hacking group for identity theft, extortion, and dozens of spearphishing attacks against public and private entities. He also collaborated with other government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security, to facilitate cooperation from corporate victims and disseminate threat information.During his time at the DOJ, Brandon handled the entire range of national security matters. He led and supervised investigations and prosecutions involving espionage, economic espionage, mishandling of classified information, and theft of trade secrets. He also directed investigations involving treason, mutiny, the Neutrality Act, and the Logan Act.Brandon has been widely recognized for his deep experience in handling national security matters, and keynotes and speaks at industry conferences involving export control and sanctions, CFIUS, FARA, and political activities. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service (2018), the FBI Director’s Award for Outstanding Cyber Investigation (2017), the Director of National Counterintelligence’s Award for Excellence (2019), the Homeland Security Investigations Executive Associate Director’s Award for Outstanding Counterproliferation Investigation (2014), and five awards from the Assistant Attorney General for National Security.Brandon regularly provides insight on national security issues and DOJ matters with national media. He is a frequent contributor on cable news, including MSNBC’s <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/220815-what-matters-what-doesnt-dojs-trump-papers-probe">The Rachel Maddow Show</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/220916-brandon-van-grack-doj-has-no-option-but-to-appeal">Deadline: Whitehouse</a> and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/220818-doj-alum-national-security-interests-paramount">All In with Chris Hayes</a>, ABC's <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/220903-judge-unseals-detailed-inventory-of-what-fbi-seized-at-mar-a-lago" target="_self">Good Morning America</a>, NBC's <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/230413-pentagon-scrambles-to-find-source" target="_self">Meet the Press</a>, CNN, BBC News, Sky News and NHK World. He also regularly appears on NPR’s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/08/29/1119889642/a-former-federal-prosecutor-reacts-to-the-redacted-mar-a-lago-affidavit">Morning Edition</a>. He has been quoted on a variety of national security topics in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post, among others, and is a Contributing Editor to the Lawfare blog.

Brandon L. Van Grack

Privacy + Data Security

Anatomy of a Ransomware Attack - 575228251

Anatomy of a Ransomware Attack

05 Oct 2021 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM PDT