Former FBI Deputy Assistant Director Cynthia Kaiser to Lead Halcyon Ransomware Research Center

The Halcyon team is excited to announce that former FBI cybersecurity leader Cynthia Kaiser has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Ransomware Research Center.  

Kaiser joins Halcyon after two decades at the FBI where she built out threat intelligence sharing programs that were instrumental in disrupting operations against major ransomware organizations, including LockBit, 8base and Qakbot. At Halcyon, Kaiser will focus on improving intel sharing with public and private entities, spearheading the effort to defeat ransomware.

“I’m excited to join Halcyon and continue to work to defeat ransomware. Ransomware is unlike any other threat. It’s big business; an entire ecosystem of sophisticated, motivated, unscrupulous actors who are becoming increasingly aggressive and continually deploying more advanced tools,” said Kaiser.

“Halcyon is the only company with the tools to detect, prevent, contain and recover from ransomware, enabling organizations to survive ransomware events without disrupting operations or paying threat actors.”  

Kaiser most recently led the FBI’s Cyber Policy, Intelligence, and Engagement Branch as Deputy Assistant Director. In eight years with the bureau’s Cyber Division, Kaiser transformed collaboration between public and private groups into robust, proactive partnerships aimed at stopping cyber threats.  

Kaiser has been a member of the Cyber Safety Review Board, served as a principal for multiple critical infrastructure security groups and delivered the President’s Daily Briefing to senior White House officials in two administrations.

“Cynthia will further strengthen Halcyon's position as the industry-leading ransomware solution by bringing her decades of experience to help secure our advantage as the ransomware intelligence experts,” said Jon Miller, CEO and Co-founder, Halcyon.

Kaiser will lead Halcyon’s Ransomware Research Center, where she will form partnerships with federal and state governments, industry associations, critical infrastructure groups, and threat intelligence sharing networks to aggregate best-in-class advanced ransomware information to disrupt threat actors. Kaiser will also work with government entities and elected officials on policy options that positively impact the fight against ransomware.

Ransomware Threat Intelligence Bounty Program

Kaiser joining the Halcyon team closely follows the launch of the Halcyon TRIP (Threat Research Incentive Program), the first-ever dedicated ransomware threat intelligence bounty initiative. Halcyon committed $250,000 to reward independent researchers and ransomware hunters for responsibly disclosing threat intelligence on ransomware operations.

Researchers who provide valuable intelligence via technical deep-dive write ups and direct SIEM or Dashboard panel access or exports will be rewarded based on a tiered structure:  

• Tier 1: Novel details on ransomware groups, RaaS platforms, affiliate attackers, initial access brokers, and other key players in ransomware operations will be rewarded up to $10,000 per accepted submission.  

• Tier 2: Novel details on attacker tooling, infrastructure, evasion techniques, and other TTPs will be rewarded up to $5,000 per accepted submission.  

• Tier 3: Novel details on droppers, loaders, packers, and other tooling will be rewarded up to $3,000 per accepted submission.  

• Tier 4: Novel details on indicators of compromise (IOCs) or behavior chains will be rewarded up to $1,000 per accepted submission.  

To ensure the quality and success of the program, a dedicated Halcyon team will follow strict guidelines to vet all research contributions before accepting the submission for compensation. Individuals who appear on an OFAC list are not eligible to participate in the program. Learn more about the one-of-a-kind Halcyon TRIP program and how you can be rewarded for your research.  

Halcyon.ai eliminates the business impact of ransomware. Modern enterprises rely on Halcyon to prevent ransomware attacks, eradicating cybercriminals’ ability to encrypt systems, steal data, and extort companies – talk to a Halcyon expert today to find out more, and check out our quarterly RaaS and extortion group reference guide, Power Rankings: Ransomware Malicious Quartile.