Candid Wuest

Candid Wuest

Candid Wuest

VP of Cyber Protection Research

Candid Wüest is the VP of Cyber Protection Research at Acronis, where he researches on new threat trends and comprehensive protection methods. Previously he worked for more than sixteen years as the tech lead for Symantec’s global security response team.

Latest stories from Candid Wuest

10 August 2021 — 4 min read

Acronis

10 August 2021 — 4 min read

LockBit is recruiting employees to breach corporate networks

The ransomware arms race continues to thrive as LockBit gangs recruit corporate insiders to help them breach and encrypt networks, offering employees hefty payouts in exchange for their help. LockBit recently made news when they hit the UK’s Merseyrail this past April.

04 August 2021 — 3 min read

Acronis

04 August 2021 — 3 min read

In cyberattacks, SMBs face an existential threat

Today we released the Acronis Cyberthreats Report Mid-year 2021, our latest in-depth review of current cyberthreat trends. It contains cutting-edge research, findings, and observations from the experts at our global network of Acronis Cyber Protection Operations Centers (CPOCs).

06 January 2021 — 4 min read

Acronis

06 January 2021 — 4 min read

How close is the reality of self-repairing endpoints?

The concept of self-repairing or self-healing endpoints holds tremendous appeal to any IT pro responsible for an organization’s cyber resiliency because they promise reduced complexity and better-deployed resources. In this article, which originally appeared in Information Security Magazine, Acronis VP of Cyber Protection Research Candid Wüest shows how many managed services providers (MSPs) and corporate sysadmins are already seeing the early benefits of self-repairing endpoints because they have adopted a cyber protection approach.

24 November 2020 — 4 min read

Acronis

24 November 2020 — 4 min read

Cybersecurity for SMBs Is the Herculean Task of MSPs

Yet in an article originally published by DarkReading, Acronis VP of Cyber Protection Research Candid Wüest detailed the significant cyber protection challenges that lie ahead for small and mid-sized companies in 2021. For managed service providers (MSPs) who step up to the plate, they’ll uncover tremendous opportunities in the year ahead. We’re reposting it here so our partners can benefit from his insights.

11 June 2020 — 5 min read

Acronis

11 June 2020 — 5 min read

Ransomware leaking more data than many data breaches

In this report from the Acronis Cyber Protection Operation Center (CPOC), we assess a recent spike in ransomware attacks and take a deep dive into how cybercriminals have adapted their techniques and technologies to profit from stolen data whether their ransom is paid or not. Learn more about how modern ransomware attacks infiltrate networks and sell the data they collect to the highest bidder on a growing number of data leak sites.

04 June 2020 — 2 min read

Acronis

04 June 2020 — 2 min read

Top Windows Vulnerabilities: May 2020 Update

Every month, more than a thousand software vulnerabilities get reported or updated, and May 2020 was no different. While the numbers dropped slightly compared to March and April, VulnDB registered 1,225 new vulnerabilities in May, with most of these vulnerabilities affecting the widely used family of Microsoft Windows products.

28 April 2020 — 4 min read

Acronis

28 April 2020 — 4 min read

Digital CoronaVirus: Yet Another Ransomware Combined with Infostealer

At the moment, scammers are trying to cash in by sending out emails that promise pandemic relief money. The emails impersonate official entities such as the U.S. Federal Reserve or other official institutions. With subject lines like “Receive Payment” or “Relief Payment Form”, anxious users are motivated to click on a link that redirects to a phishing website, which tries to steal personal information or online banking credentials. Other email variants use these stimulus bills as bait to deliver a password protected “COVID 19 Relief.doc” document that contains a financial trojan or ransomware. And we still see waves of classic COVID-19 themed malware threats making the rounds. One such threat example that we came across recently dropped a combination of ransomware and infostealer malware.

03 April 2020 — 4 min read

Acronis

03 April 2020 — 4 min read

Newest Email Scam Threatens Users with Coronavirus

It is a known fact that cybercriminals love to hijack global news headlines in order to spread their scams and increase their profits. Yet we've just seen this scare tactic reach a new moral low. Attackers are now threatening to deliberately infect people with the coronavirus.

27 March 2020 — 4 min read

Acronis

27 March 2020 — 4 min read

Acronis Warns: Coronavirus Will Increase Cyberattacks Against Healthcare Targets

Criminal activity spikes during times of crises as cybercriminals try to take advantage of the situation. Unfortunately, today’s situation is no exception: most concerning is the vulnerability of healthcare facilities such as hospitals, where the systems that care for patients and lab work are often linked. Acronis believes we have a responsibility to the public, so we need to warn everyone: we foresee a further increase in ransomware attacks targeting private and government hospital systems in the coming weeks.