Kasowitz Counsel Clarine Nardi Riddle Comments on Ransomware Prevention and Management

Kasowitz counsel Clarine Nardi Riddle is extensively quoted in the July 20th Cybersecurity Law Report article “How to Prevent and Manage Ransomware Attacks,” outlining how to handle a ransomware attack, and when and how to report the incident and work with law enforcement. According to Riddle, the FBI is continuing to play a larger role educating the public on ransomware prevention in part because ransomware culprits regularly claim the attack is coming from the FBI, making authorities feel more obliged to alert the public they are not party to these circumstances. Riddle stresses the importance of companies informing authorities of the attack rather than handling it on their own, despite the time commitment and resources it takes once an attack is reported. In addressing concerns about document confidentiality, Riddle indicates that companies often have the ability to keep certain documents classified and exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), given the trade secrets or other intellectual property the documents may contain. Additionally, Riddle addresses the issue of cyber intelligence sharing and the current framework of law, with hopes that Congress will begin to address the types of protection businesses need to obtain to ensure they are protected under the law.