Today, the United States Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced a new pilot program to help critical infrastructure entities protect their information systems from ransomware attacks.

“Recognizing the persistent threat that ransomware attacks pose to organizations of all sizes, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) today announces the creation of the Ransomware Vulnerability Warning Pilot (RVWP),” the cybersecurity agency said.

CISA’s New RVWP Program has two purposes: to scan the networks of critical infrastructure entities for Internet-exposed systems with vulnerabilities that ransomware attackers often exploit to breach networks and help vulnerable organizations fix flaws before they are hacked.

It’s part of a broader effort to fend off the growing threat of ransomware that began nearly two years ago after a deluge of cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure organizations and US government agencies, beginning with attacks of ransomware that hit the networks of Colonial Pipeline, JBS FoodsAnd Kaseya.

In June 2021, the agency released ransomware readiness assessment (RRA), a new module for its Cyber ​​Security Assessment Tool (CSET).

RRA helps organizations assess their readiness to prevent and recover from ransomware attacks and can be customized for different levels of cybersecurity maturity.

Two months later, in August 2021, CISA published guidelines to help at-risk government and private sector organizations prevent ransomware data breaches.

This list of best practices was published in response to several ransomware gangs using data stolen from victims in double extortion schemes where they threatened to release the stolen information on their dedicated leak site, a tactic now embraced by most. ransomware operations.

Earlier that month, CISA launched a new partnership to protect the United States’ critical infrastructure from ransomware and other cyber threats, known as the Joint Cyber ​​Defense Collaborative (JCDC).

JCDC has brought together federal agencies, state and local governments, and private sector organizations to create cyber defense plans for resilience against malicious cyber activity targeting critical infrastructure.

When announced, the JCDC recruited several private sector partners, such as Microsoft, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, AT&T, Crowdstrike, FireEye Mandiant, Lumen, Palo Alto Networks, and Verizon, and government organizations such as the Department of Defense, NSA, Department of Justice, FBI, US Cyber ​​Command, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Since then, CISA has also launched a dedicated portal provide all the necessary resources to prepare, defend and block ransomware attacks, including the necessary tools to report incidents related to ransomware and request technical assistance.