Intelligent CISO: Building a strong defence: A guide to ransomware resilience

Intelligent CISO outlined how organisations can strengthen their defences against ransomware, with NetSPI’s Ben Lister explaining the role of Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS). Read the preview below or view it online.

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Turning the tables on ransomware.

Regarding “Building a strong defence: A guide to ransomware resilience” (Intelligent CISO, September 17): Ransomware continues to be one of the most damaging threats to UK businesses. Recent breaches at Marks & Spencer, Adidas and Co-op highlight how costly attacks can be, with M&S alone facing an estimated £300 million hit to operating profit and more than £1 billion wiped off its market value.

Ben Lister, Head of Threat Research at NetSPI, noted that many attacks succeed not through advanced techniques but through simple missteps such as social engineering and supplier error. He stressed that security leaders must move from reactive responses to proactive detection. Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) continuously tests defences against real-world tactics, exposing weaknesses before criminals can exploit them.

Ben Lister explains that while penetration testing and red teaming remain vital, BAS fills the gap between periodic exercises by running continuously in the background. This enables organisations to surface misconfigurations in real time and maintain higher resilience.

Ransomware operators are often enabled by the Ransomware-as-a-Service model, which lowers the barrier to entry. Despite the hype, AI is not yet the main driver of attacks. Instead, most groups stick to proven methods, making it essential that organisations focus on the basics: tested backups, endpoint visibility, staff training and detection of common tactics.

True resilience requires a mindset shift; from reactive fixes to proactive simulation and preparedness. With ransomware now a case of “when, not if”, BAS helps teams face the threat with greater confidence.

You can read the full article here.