Microsoft Threat Intelligence: Live from Black Hat on Ransomware, AI, and Social Engineering

MSRC and Responsible Disclosure

• 🛡️ The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) triages security vulnerabilities reported by external researchers, assesses them technically, and works with product teams for mitigation.
• 🤝 MSRC partners with researchers worldwide, fostering coordinated vulnerability disclosure to protect customers before public announcements.
• 🌍 Researchers hail from 59 different countries, showcasing a diverse community ranging from high school students to experienced professionals.
• 💰 Bug bounty programs, like Zero Day Quest (ZDQ), incentivize research, with ZDQ offering a significant prize pool for cloud and AI security vulnerabilities.

The Evolving Ransomware Landscape

• ⚡ Ransomware dwell times have dramatically decreased from weeks to under an hour, with attackers targeting critical systems like N servers and backups rapidly.
• 🔑 Initial access is often swift, with attackers seemingly possessing necessary credentials, possibly acquired through access brokers.
• 🎯 Attacks have shifted from broad