A Ransomware Research Framework

BIOS

Dan Wolf is President and founder of Cyber Pack Ventures, Inc (CPVI), a Maryland- based cybersecurity integrator. CPVI provides technical and managerial consulting services to industry and government in the technical, scientific, procedural, and operational disciplines associated with national security. The company, founded in 2006, brings together a world class team of former government, industry, and academic leaders with a diverse set of talents covering all aspects of information security. Emphasis is placed on intelligence systems, information assurance and cybersecurity.

Prior to founding CPVI, Dan Wolf was the head of the Information Assurance Directorate at the National Security Agency--the nation’s top cybersecurity professional. Under his tutelage, the agency developed initial concepts and strategies for information assurance and cybersecurity. He managed seven lines of business covering vulnerability discovery, solutions generation and development, solution deployment and maintenance, defensive information operations, research, microelectronics, outreach and awareness. He currently serves on a number of corporate boards and technical advisory groups.

Prior to his appointment as Director of Information Assurance, Mr. Wolf was the Directorate’s Deputy. Other major NSA assignments include Chief of the Technical Support Group and Chief of the Cryptanalysis Group in the Operations Directorate. As leader of both organizations, he was responsible for providing time critical information to both government and military leaders worldwide. Throughout his career, he has successfully led numerous technical organizations.

Mr. Wolf has received the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive, the Presidential Rank Awards of Meritorious Executive, the DoD Distinguished Civilian Service Award, and the DoD Medal for Meritorious Civilian. He also received the NSA Exceptional Civilian Service Award and the NSA Director’s Distinguished Service Medal.

Mr. Wolf received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Case Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (Computer Systems) from the University of Maryland College Park. He is a graduate of the Senior Executive Fellows Program, Harvard University, and the Federal Executive Institute. He also teaches programming and Homeland Security courses as an adjunct graduate faculty member.

Dr. Don Goff is the Senior Scientist to Cyber Pack Ventures, Inc., a Maryland-based cybersecurity integrator. Cyber Pack Ventures provides cybersecurity governance, training, and technology analysis and services, advises clients on approaches and methods, and evaluates cost- effectiveness and results.

Prior to joining CPVI, he was Professor and Executive Director of the Security Studies Laboratory at University of Maryland University College, where he taught information assurance and homeland security subjects. The Security Studies Laboratory was designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The information assurance program at UMUC is the nation’s largest, with over 3000 enrollments. It is an online program, with the first remote access laboratory capability in network security.

Previously, he was Director of Federal Government Affairs for AT&T, Chief of Staff to Congressman John E. Porter (R, 10-IL), Executive Director of the Illinois Select Joint Committee on Regulatory Agency Reform, and Legislative Liaison for Governor James R. Thompson of Illinois. He is retired from the U.S. Army Reserve, having served 27 years in a variety of command and staff positions and has been an independent consultant specializing in the application of advanced information technologies to business problems, particularly in information warfare and distance learning.

As a corporate executive, he gained experience with the vulnerabilities of the US telecommunications infrastructure and was involved in responses to catastrophic failures. As a military reservist, he developed methods and doctrines for tracking and responding to terrorist and rear area attacks.

Dr. Goff received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois in 1991, his Masters from the University of Illinois in 1970, and his Bachelors from Western Illinois University in 1969.

ABSTRACT

This research develops a series of research frameworks for addressing the problem of ransomware from the perspective of multiple disciplines, begins to develop theories about ransomware, and identifies needs for future research. Approaches include criminal justice, hardware and software technologies, file structures, critical infrastructure impact, an abstract theoretic approach, and money tracking. To date, poster presentations are available and formal articles from each researcher are forthcoming.

Posters:

• An Approach to Ransomware Effects Mitigation
• An Evidence-Based Ecological Approach for Disrupting Ransomware Spread
• RansomAir Filled with Clouds
• Ransomware Analysis as Dialog for Attribution and Reconnaissance (RADAR)
• Ransomware Detection using RNN
• The Threat of Ransomware in Energy Delivery Systems
• Understanding the Ransomware Landscape through System Dynamics Modeling