On this episode of Masters of Data, we sat down with Steven Manley, CTO of Druva, to get the unfiltered truth about ransomware: it’s not a matter of if you’ll be breached, but when, and bad actors are now launching hundreds of attacks at a surprisingly low cost. We dig into why attackers lurk undetected for 200-plus days, how AI is being weaponized for everything from eerily convincing voice phishing to secretly training your own AI systems against you, and why your most protected assets are rarely what gets hit first. This episode is essential listening for IT leaders, security teams, and anyone responsible for keeping the business running when the worst-case scenario stops being hypothetical.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction & Meet Stephen Manley, CTO of Druva
1:20 When Ransomware Hits: What It’s Like for the Victim vs. the Recovery Team
5:04 What Does a Ransomware Attack Actually Look Like?
7:56 How to Prepare: Building a Ransomware Response Plan
11:30 Testing Your Response: Start Small, Then Scale Up
14:19 Communication During an Attack: Why It’s Harder Than You Think
16:23 How Attackers Exploit Your Communications Infrastructure
18:44 Dwell Time: Attackers May Have Been Inside for 200+ Days
21:08 Are Attackers Using AI? The Growing Role of AI in Cybercrime
23:04 Real Story: How Ransomware Compromised an AI System in Healthcare
26:27 Why Ransomware Attacks Are Getting Cheaper & More Common
28:04 Cyber Insurance: Does It Actually Pay Out?
31:10 Compliance, Security Hygiene, and Convincing Your Board to Invest
33:10 Three Ways to Win a Security Budget Conversation
35:37 Using Backup Data for Deeper Insight Into Your Environment
37:00 Final Advice: Test, Trust Nothing, and Stay Calm
39:14 Wrap-Up