Disorder

Ep110. Ransomware in our age of Disorder with RUSI’s Jamie MacColl

Apr 1, 2025

In this discussion, Jamie MacColl, a Research Fellow in Cyber and Tech at RUSI, delves into the urgent threat of ransomware, particularly from hostile states like Russia. He highlights alarming incidents, such as attacks on critical infrastructure and the chaotic implications for society. Jamie reveals the evolving landscape of cybercrime, the motivations behind cybercriminals, and the gaping gaps in our defense strategies. The conversation emphasizes the need for innovative approaches and greater accountability to combat this growing menace effectively.

45:34

Episode guests

Jamie MacColl

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Ransomware attacks pose a severe national security threat, compromising critical infrastructure and endangering public safety, as seen in healthcare disruptions.

The dark web fosters a lucrative environment for cybercriminals, significantly lowering barriers to entry and contributing to the rise in ransomware incidents.

Deep dives

The Rise and Impact of Ransomware

Ransomware has evolved into a significant national security threat, leveraging cyber extortion tactics to compromise critical infrastructure and services. Notable incidents, such as the Colonial Pipeline attack, demonstrate the direct impact of ransomware, leading to fuel shortages on the East Coast of the United States, where attackers encrypted systems and demanded a multi-million dollar ransom. In the UK, the attack on Synovus disrupted healthcare services by causing delays to over 2,000 operations, showcasing how these crimes not only financial implications but also threaten public safety. These incidents highlight the urgent need for awareness and action as ransomware attacks increasingly target essential services and major infrastructures.

Intro

5min

The Ransomware Crisis: An Evolving Threat Landscape

19min

The Threat of Ransomware: Vulnerabilities in Critical Infrastructure

2min

Ordering the Disorder: Tackling Ransomware Challenges

2min

Ransomware's Complex Landscape

13min

Concluding Insights and Future Engagements

2min

On 3 June 2024, Synnovis, a provider of pathology services to the NHS in London, detected the first stages of a ransomware attack. The ransomware quickly spread through Synnovis’ networks, encrypting systems and stealing sensitive data. Not for the first time, a ransomware attack had become a matter of life and death.  

The attack, which was later claimed by Qilin, a Russian-speaking cybercriminal gang, was a stark example of how cybercrime has become a national security threat. Attacks against hospitals, schools and businesses of all shapes and sizes have normalised what should be intolerable: cybercriminals, in many cases harboured by hostile states, regularly disrupting and extorting victims, causing misery in the process and creating disorder for the UK economy and society.

To help us understand this challenge, and as part of our ongoing series of episodes featuring top experts from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Arthur was joined by Jamie MacColl, a Research Fellow in Cyber and Tech at RUSI. Jamie's research focuses on the national security implications of cybercrime, including the relationships between hostile states and cybercriminals. He has given evidence on ransomware on more than one occasion to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy and also represents RUSI at the Counter Ransomware Initiative, a multilateral grouping of more than 80 countries committed to combating ransomware. Prior to working at RUSI, Jamie worked as a cyber threat intelligence analyst in the private sector. When not working on cybercrime, he is the guitarist in the British band Bombay Bicycle Club.  

They discuss the current state of ransomware, its scale and impact, the role played by rogue states such as Russia and North Korea, and the reasons for the lack of coordinated international progress in combating the issue.

Finally, as Jamie and Arthur order the disorder, Jamie proposes moving our response to ransomware from the current failing law enforcement model, to an intelligence and counter-terrorism led approach.

Producer: George McDonagh 

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn 

Show Notes Links:

More on the RUSI Disorder partnership - https://www.rusi.org/news-and-comment/rusi-news/rusi-announces-partnership-disorder-podcast

Become RUSI members for more of their brilliant content: https://my.rusi.org/membership.html

Follow Arthur’s pod Behind The Lines: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bpdB1iEN3irFueS5CMuq5

High-level summaries on ransomware as a national security threat: https://www.economist.com/international/2023/12/31/how-ransomware-could-cripple-countries-not-just-companies

Read RUSI piece The Rise of Ransomware as a National Security Threat: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/organised-cybercrime-rise-ransomware-national-security-threat

Read RUSI piece Beyond the Bottom Line: The Societal Impact of Ransomware: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/beyond-bottom-line-societal-impact-ransomware

Read about the links between cybercrime and state threats:  https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/untangling-the-russian-web/

Read RUSI article Ransomware: A Life and Death Form of Cybercrime https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/ransomware-life-and-death-form-cybercrime

Read about the impact of ransomware on the UK: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/ransomware-victim-insights-harms-individuals-organisations-and-society