KnowBe4 launches a no-cost resource kit to help organizations defend against the damaging impact of ransomware
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, 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 organization’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 organized 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 organizations have experienced at least one ransomware attack within the last year,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. “In order to attempt to stop ransomware attacks, organizations 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 center of it all.”
The KnowBe4 2023 Ransomware Awareness Month Resource Kit includes the following resources:
- Access to our free on-demand Ransomware Master Class webinar featuring Roger Grimes, KnowBe4’s Data-Driven Defense Evangelist
- Our 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.
About KnowBe4
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 60,000 organizations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Kevin Mitnick, an internationally recognized cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4's Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as their last line of defense.
