Ransomware is the gift that keeps on giving… and taking.
I’ve been tracking ransomware for almost nine years now, and I’ve seen it progress from simple and annoying malware to an organization-ending threat for many.
I’m not big on pushing FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt), so when I say that it is one of the biggest cyberthreats to organizations in the small and medium-sized business space, I am not exaggerating.
I think this is why I resonate with the Enkryptor villain from our 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Kit. Eight bits of badness armed with a “Ran-staff”, this villain is set to not only encrypt files, but also to steal a copy of them, making ransom negotiations even more challenging.
Old Threat, New Methods
We have become pretty good at restoring systems much more quickly than in years past. However the threat of sensitive data being dumped on the internet for anyone to take is a pretty serious source of leverage. This is likely the reason that ransom demands have skyrocketed since the Maze ransomware group started stealing data back in late 2019, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.
No Organization Too Small
Perhaps you own a small organization, maybe you think you are too small to be a target. I hate to say this, but it’s simply not true. If you or your employees have an email address, you can easily end up on a list of places to attack. It could be a vendor that you use that gets breached, leaking your information, an email address published on your website, or any number of other ways your contact information ends up in the public domain, whatever the reason, you can easily become a target. I’ve even seen attacks begin with conversations started through “Contact Us” forms.
The scary part is, the top way that ransomware is spread is through phishing emails or human error. That’s why I think Enkryptor might be the scariest of our characters in the 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Kit.
Equip Your Users Against Ransomware and Beyond
Scary as Enkryptor might be, the connection between the human element and ransomware is also cause for hope. Hope because the tools and resources exist to make every one of your people an additional point of protection for your organization.
And this month just happens to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
If you haven’t seen our new kit, I recommend you check it out. It includes all sorts of resources to help you level-up your users’ knowledge of ransomware and other cyber risks.
The best way to reduce the human risk in your organization is through a comprehensive human risk management (HRM) program that includes education and technical controls that work together against the threat. This kit exemplifies our philosophy of making human risk easier to manage (and we hope adds a little fun to the mix).
So, check out the kit and let’s see if we can rise above risk and send Enkryptor packing, without any of your sensitive information and without impacting your business!
