Get to know

# Ryan Olson

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Blogs by Ryan Olson  
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[![Average Ransom Payment Up 71% This Year, Approaches $1 Million](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Light-of-the-Monitor.jpg)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2022/06/average-ransomware-payment-update/)

## [Must-Read Articles](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/security-operations/category/must-read-articles/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Public Sector](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/public-sector/?ts=markdown)

### [Average Ransom Payment Up 71% This Year, Approaches $1 Million](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2022/06/average-ransomware-payment-update/)

The average ransom payment in cases worked by Unit 42 incident responders rose to $925,162 during the first five months of 2022.  
Jun 07, 2022  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[![Ransomware Trends: Higher Ransom Demands, More Extortion Tactics](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Contemplating.jpg)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2022/03/ransomware-trends-demands-dark-web-leak-sites/)

## [Must-Read Articles](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/security-operations/category/must-read-articles/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown)

### [Ransomware Trends: Higher Ransom Demands, More Extortion Tactics](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2022/03/ransomware-trends-demands-dark-web-leak-sites/)

The 2022 Unit 42 Ransomware Threat Report documents trends observed in incident response case data and insights gleaned from dark web leak sites.  
Mar 24, 2022  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[![The Palo Alto Networks Full-Court Defense for Apache Log4j](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Coding-1.jpg)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2021/12/defense-for-apache-log4j/)

## [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown)

### [The Palo Alto Networks Full-Court Defense for Apache Log4j](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2021/12/defense-for-apache-log4j/)

The recent Apache Log4j vulnerability is a particularly pernicious problem for two reasons: It has a very large footprint and remediation could take weeks.  
Dec 13, 2021  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[![Exposing the Sophisticated Cyber Espionage Tool Known as BendyBear](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Espionage-r3d3.png)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2021/02/u42-bendybear/)

## [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown)

### [Exposing the Sophisticated Cyber Espionage Tool Known as BendyBear](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2021/02/u42-bendybear/)

Unit 42 has disclosed the discovery of BendyBear, extremely stealthy malware that is one of the most sophisticated cyber espionage tools seen to date.  
Feb 09, 2021  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[![COVID-19: The Cybercrime Gold Rush of 2020](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_2009.jpg)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2020/07/unit-42-cybercrime-gold-rush/)

## [Secure the Enterprise](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/secure-the-enterprise/?ts=markdown)

### [COVID-19: The Cybercrime Gold Rush of 2020](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2020/07/unit-42-cybercrime-gold-rush/)

Unit 42 has been tracking a cybercrime gold rush aimed at taking advantage of the pandemic. Learn best practices to help avoid exploitation.  
Jul 21, 2020  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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Blogs by Ryan Olson  
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[](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2015/12/2016-prediction-9-threat-landscape-affects-the-presidential-election-multifactor-authentication-and-data-destruction/)

## [Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/predictions/?ts=markdown), [Threat Prevention](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/threat-prevention-2/?ts=markdown)

### [2016 Prediction #9: Threat Landscape Affects the Presidential Election, Mul...](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2015/12/2016-prediction-9-threat-landscape-affects-the-presidential-election-multifactor-authentication-and-data-destruction/)

This is the ninth in our series of cybersecurity predictions for 2016. Stay tuned for more through the end of the year. As 2015 comes to a close, it's time to look ...  
Dec 14, 2015  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2015/04/android-installer-hijacking-scanner-accept-no-substitutes/)

## [Malware](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/malware-2/?ts=markdown), [Mobility](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/mobility/?ts=markdown), [Threat Prevention](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/threat-prevention-2/?ts=markdown)

### [Android Installer Hijacking Scanner: Accept No Substitutes!](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2015/04/android-installer-hijacking-scanner-accept-no-substitutes/)

On March 24, we released the details of a vulnerability impacting millions of Android devices that allows an attacker to modify applications during the installation process. At that time we also released ...  
Apr 10, 2015  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[![COVID-19: The Cybercrime Gold Rush of 2020](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_2009.jpg)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2020/07/unit-42-cybercrime-gold-rush/)

## [Secure the Enterprise](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/secure-the-enterprise/?ts=markdown)

### [COVID-19: The Cybercrime Gold Rush of 2020](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2020/07/unit-42-cybercrime-gold-rush/)

Unit 42 has been tracking a cybercrime gold rush aimed at taking advantage of the pandemic. Learn best practices to help avoid exploitation.  
Jul 21, 2020  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2016/06/palo-alto-networks-researcher-discovers-3-new-critical-ie-vulnerabilities/)

## [Cybersecurity](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cybersecurity-2/?ts=markdown), [Threat Advisories - Advisories](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/threat-advisories-advisories/?ts=markdown)

### [Palo Alto Networks Researcher Discovers 3 New Critical IE Vulnerabilities](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2016/06/palo-alto-networks-researcher-discovers-3-new-critical-ie-vulnerabilities/)

Palo Alto Networks researcher Tao Yan is credited with the discovery of three new critical Microsoft vulnerabilities in June's bulletin -- CVE-2016-3205, CVE-2016-3206 and CVE-2016-3207 -- affecting VBScript engine versions 5.7 and ...  
Jun 14, 2016  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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[](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2016/07/unit42-announcing-the-labyrenth-capture-the-flag-ctf-challenge/)

## [Events](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/events/?ts=markdown)

### [Announcing the LabyREnth Capture the Flag (CTF) Challenge](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2016/07/unit42-announcing-the-labyrenth-capture-the-flag-ctf-challenge/)

We're proud to announce that LabyREnth, the Unit 42 Capture the Flag (CTF) challenge, is open to the public and ready to test your malware analysis and reverse engineering skills. You'll have ...  
Jul 15, 2016  
By [Ryan Olson](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-olson/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Olson")

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