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Predict D.C. and London: The Fight Against Ransomware Enters a New Phase

Posted: 31st October 2024

By: Lizzie Myers

Predict D.C. and London: The Fight Against Ransomware Enters a New Phase

Having just wrapped up our D.C. and London Predict 2024 conferences, the Recorded Future team is incredibly excited about the future of cybersecurity.

Over the span two days in both cities, Predict attendees heard from global intelligence experts as well as Recorded Future clients and leadership. Attendees gained insider insights and skills to help them stay ahead of threat actors, and demonstrate the ROI of their essential threat intelligence tools. They also saw an exclusive first look at Recorded Future’s Ransomware Mitigation Capabilities aimed at helping organizations identify ransomware risks early, prioritize action, and take targeted steps towards mitigation, all before attackers are able to exploit.

Day one in both locations began with Recorded Future University, a series of hands-on training workshops designed exclusively for our clients. Afterward, clients attended breakout sessions to learn best practices from industry leaders.

In D.C., breakout sessions dove into how to build and quantify ROI for a threat intelligence program, tips for enhancing supply chain risk management, and ways to operationalize security research for ransomware mitigation.
In London, day one began with exclusive training and breakout sessions for Recorded Future clients discussing best-practices on protecting the supply chain, threat hunting and mitigation, unmasking deepfakes, and navigating nation-state actors in the geopolitical landscape.

On day two, experts from the security community shared insights on managing the changing global landscape as well as using AI-driven threat intelligence to protect against modern cyber attacks, influence operations, and geopolitical conflicts.

D.C. Day 2 Keynotes Highlights:

Future of Threat Intelligence: In his opening keynote, CEO Christopher Ahlberg laid out his vision for how Recorded Future will continue to strengthen our role as the threat landscape continues to evolve.
Combating AI-Driven Cyber Threats: Sessions including a fireside chat with National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr., and a panel featuring CISA’s Lisa Einstein and Federal CISO Michael Duffy outlined approaches to counter AI-powered attacks, providing strategies for policy, partnerships, and real-time defense.
Unveiling New Ransomware Capabilities: Recorded Future leaders Kalpana Singh (SVP and Head of Marketing) and Jamie Zajac (VP, Product Management) introduced newly released ransomware tools like Ransomware Risk Profiles and Victimology Tables, with Avangrid and JP Morgan Chase leaders showcasing the tools’ real-world impact on threat readiness.

London Day 2 Keynotes Highlights:

AI and Ransomware Threats: Minister for Security Dan Jarvis joined Recorded Future experts to discuss mitigating AI-driven cyber threats and the role of emerging ransomware capabilities for proactive threat management.
Strategic Guidance for Security Resilience: Cyber leaders like Craig Rice from Cyber Defence Alliance and Dusan Vignjevic from Siemens shared practical approaches to improve detection, response, and infrastructure resilience
Countering Global Threats: Lord David Cameron advocated for threat intelligence to counter global cyber threats and highlighted the need for nuanced approaches to international cybersecurity challenges. Every session ultimately points back to the idea that regardless of the size of your organization or the industry you’re in, real-time, relevant threat intelligence is necessary to combat today’s sophisticated cyber threats. Recorded Future will continue to work towards

Read on for detailed recaps from the D.C. and London Predict events, and sign up to get links to the on-demand video content as soon as it’s available.

Jump to Predict D.C. highlights │ Jump to Predict London highlights

Predict Recap

Highlights from Predict D.C. 2024

In the opening keynote, Discover the Future of Threat Intelligence, Recorded Future CEO and Co-founder Christopher Ahlberg provided an overview of how the threat intelligence landscape is evolving, with the goal of helping security leaders align their long-term cybersecurity strategies with emerging trends. He also offered insights into innovations in threat intelligence tools and techniques that security practitioners can apply to their day-to-day operations.

Next, Harry Coker Jr., National Cyber Director at The White House, joined Ahlberg to talk about building a secure environment in the age of AI and ransomware. They discussed the strategic implications of AI-driven threats like phishing campaigns, advanced malware, and ransomware attacks, and how to enable security leaders to shape policies and partnerships to mitigate these risks. They also broke down how to defend against AI-enhanced cyber attacks, equipping practitioners with actionable methods to protect their organizations.

In the product keynote, Everyone is a Futurist with Threat Intelligence, Recorded Future product management, product marketing, and Insikt Research Group leaders showcased new ransomware capabilities and how they’ll help security teams monitor and correlate ransomware indicators and automate response efforts to enhance their defenses against growing cyber threats. They covered:

Ransomware Risk Profiles, which offer an end-to-end view of an organization’s ransomware exposure across the attack lifecycle as well as guidance for each threat, helping security teams identify risks early, prioritize action, and take targeted mitigation steps
Victimology Tables and Intelligence Cards, which provide real-time visibility into ransomware victims in an organization’s ecosystem, detailed threat actor breakdowns, and secure dark web browsing to help security teams proactively play defense without endangering their organizations’ risk postures

Recorded Future commercial clients discussed their cybersecurity best practices as well. Chris Mandich and Nick Peterson, security leaders from Rivian Automotive, showed how they’ve integrated Recorded Future Threat Intelligence into Rivian’s security architectures to optimize threat detection and response processes, improving overall operational efficiency and risk management.

Next, security leaders Robert Antonellis from Avangrid, Matthew Lestourgeon from Ferguson Enterprises, Josh Hedges from JP Morgan Chase, and Martin Richmond from AtkinsRealis offered both practical advice on improving threat detection and response mechanisms as well as strategic insights into using threat intelligence to build future-ready security infrastructures.

Recorded Future government clients also shared insights. Clara Grillet, Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst from the Centre for Cybersecurity, Belgium, showed how national-level threat intelligence programs can enhance critical infrastructure security. She demonstrated how to use Recorded Future’s Intelligence Cloud to provide real-time protection, offering practitioners actionable techniques to improve their threat intelligence-driven operations.

Next, Lisa Einstein, Chief AI Officer, CISA; Jennifer Bachus, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State; and Michael Duffy, Acting Federal Chief Information Security Officer, Executive Office of the President spoke about strengthening national security through AI. They explored how AI is transforming national security, and how AI-driven threat intelligence can be integrated into operational workflows to improve real-time threat detection and response.

Alejandro Cáceres, owner of the technology R&D firm Hyperion Gray, offered insights into the latest trends in cybersecurity research and defense, helping security leaders understand how to adapt their strategies to current and future challenges. He also engaged practitioners in a discussion on cutting-edge research in threat intelligence, providing them with knowledge they can directly apply to their defense strategies.

Finally, Dave Luber, Director of Cybersecurity for the NSA, discussed the strategic importance of public-private partnerships in combating AI-driven cybercrime. He provided security leaders with models for collaboration to strengthen their security postures. He also offered practical insights into how AI is being weaponized by threat actors, and how practitioners can leverage threat intelligence and public-private partnerships to counter these threats.

Highlights from Predict London 2024

In the opening keynote, Discover the Future of Threat Intelligence, Recorded CEO and Co-founder Christopher Ahlberg provided an overview of how the threat intelligence landscape is evolving, with the goal of helping security leaders align their long-term cybersecurity strategies with emerging trends. He also offered insights into innovations in threat intelligence tools and techniques that security practitioners can apply to their day-to-day operations.

Dan Jarvis, MP and Minister for Security, talked about how to build a secure environment in the age of AI and ransomware. They discussed the strategic implications of AI-driven threats like phishing campaigns, advanced malware, and ransomware attacks, and how to enable security leaders to shape policies and partnerships to mitigate these risks. They also broke down how to defend against AI-enhanced cyber attacks, equipping practitioners with actionable methods to protect their organizations.

Ransomware Risk Profiles, which offer an end-to-end view of an organization’s ransomware exposure across the attack lifecycle as well as guidance for each threat, helping security teams identify risks early, prioritize action, and take targeted mitigation steps
Victimology Tables and Intelligence Cards, which provide real-time visibility into ransomware victims in an organization’s ecosystem, detailed threat actor breakdowns, and secure dark web browsing to help security teams proactively play defense without endangering their organizations’ risk postures

Next, CEO of Cyber Defence Alliance Craig Rice offered both practical advice on improving threat detection and response mechanisms as well as strategic insights into using threat intelligence to build future-ready security infrastructures.

Sandro Manzo, Team Lead of the Fusion Centre at The Centre for Cybersecurity, Belgium, showed how national-level threat intelligence programs can enhance critical infrastructure security. He demonstrated how to use Recorded Future’s Intelligence Cloud to provide real-time protection, offering practitioners actionable techniques to improve their threat intelligence-driven operations.

Dusan Vignjevic, Head of Threat Intelligence and Threat Hunting for Siemens Energy, discussed how an intelligence-led security program can improve organizational resilience and help security teams stay ahead of sophisticated threats. He also provided a practical guide for using threat intelligence to improve threat detection, analysis, and response.

For the finale of an already exciting day of keynotes, CEO Christopher Ahlberg sat down for a rare fireside chat with former British Prime Minister, Lord David Cameron. During the session, Lord Cameron shared insight on the current cyber threat landscape and more, specifically stressing the importance of leveraging threat intelligence to counter ransomware and other cyber threats and emphasizing the critical role of cybersecurity for both governments and businesses, calling for strong policies and offensive capabilities to stay ahead. Lord Cameron discussed the dual approach needed to handle China's cyber activities. While urging the U.S. and UK to strengthen defenses against Chinese cyber threats, he advocated for selective collaboration with China on critical issues like climate change. Cameron also voiced concerns over the U.S.'s confrontational stance, suggesting it could increase tensions, and emphasized the UK’s strengths in tech and cybersecurity, calling for proactive efforts to remain competitive.