Ransomware is a follow-on attack from another, more ubiquitous problem known as Account Takeover (ATO). For criminals, it’s a short and clear path from obtaining stolen credentials to penetrating your network and bringing business to a halt. In a typical scenario, the ransomware operator obtains stolen credentials through middlemen who specialise in infiltrating targets and then selling access to the operator for a portion of the ransom. Getting ahead of ransomware requires addressing the most common attack vector: the use of stolen credentials.