How to Beat Ransomware Fatigue

Introduction

You’ve read the headlines, and perhaps even our piece on how ransomware fatigue is leaving the back door open. Now, it’s time for the unfiltered truth.

For years, ransomware has been branded the "next existential threat." The problem? You're exhausted. You're burnt out. This isn't just about feeling numb to the noise; it’s about incompetence by exhaustion. This ransomware fatigue—the normalization of the threat—is actively creating blind spots in your third-party ecosystem.

On the latest episode of the Third Party podcast, hosts Jeffrey Wheatman, Ferhat Dikbiyik, and Bob Maley  unpack why this emotional wear-down is now as dangerous as the malware itself, and what concrete steps you can take to fight it.

The Core Problem: Why Fatigue is the New Risk

We are conditioned to adapt to a constant state of threat. What was once an emergency is now background noise, and for CISOs and executives, this numbing effect is the biggest vulnerability. You may be perfect at defending your house, but your vendors are definitely not.

The hosts break down the harsh economics that keep this threat alive:

• Cybercrime as a Service: Ransomware is an organized, profit-driven business ecosystem. The entry barrier is shockingly low—ransomware kits cost as little as $500-$1,000. New groups emerge instantly to replace those taken down by law enforcement.
• Targeting the Weak Link: Attackers strategically target small and mid-sized businesses (especially those with $4M-$6M in revenue). These companies are big enough to pay but lack the security maturity and incident response plans of large enterprises, ensuring a quicker payout.
• The Law Enforcement Gap: When organizations are hit, their first instinct is often to pay the ransom to resume operations, even if governments issue "No Pay" mandates. Why? Because the choice is often between paying a ransom and going out of business.

The Failure of the Basics: Locked Doors and Broken Contracts

Fatigue sets in when effort doesn't yield results. Much of the ransomware problem is not advanced hacking; it’s a failure to implement simple, inexpensive controls.

• Leaving the Door Unlocked: Fundamental email defenses like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are still not universally adopted. Like the simple steering wheel lock (The Club), implementing these basics makes you a harder target.
• Compliance is Not Protection: Look at healthcare. 91% of U.S. healthcare data breaches involve ransomware. Clearly, compliance with regulations like HIPAA is not getting the job done. We must shift the focus from regulatory fear to managing the actual underlying risk.
• Contracts Are After the Fact: As Jeffrey points out, relying on a contract is a last gasp. If a critical vendor shuts down and your business is halted, the liability clause doesn't help you survive.

Fighting Back: Strategy, Measurement, and Automation

The only way to beat fatigue is to create certainty where there is chaos. This requires a sharp focus on processes, not just product purchases.

Focus Your TPRM Strategy:

• Measure Risk, Not Compliance: You cannot manage what you cannot measure. Identify your most critical vendors and use objective, continuous security monitoring to assess their specific ransomware susceptibility.
• Set a Low Risk Appetite: For your mission-critical suppliers, demand the highest standards and make the implementation of foundational controls (like SPF/DKIM/DMARC) a non-negotiable part of your contract.
• Address the Stress: The risk management field is one of high stress and uncertainty, contributing directly to fatigue. When asked if risk teams should hire psychologists, the hosts agreed that mental health support and building a non-blame culture are critical for resilience across the entire security organization.

Counter Fatigue with Automation:

Automation and AI, used responsibly, can eliminate the “alert flood” that causes burnout.

• Risk-Based Triage: Use AI and continuous data to automatically filter alerts based on vendor criticality and risk appetite. This ensures your team only engages when a truly high-risk situation occurs.
• Deliver Meaningful Intelligence: Automate the process of extracting critical, validated findings and delivering them directly to the vendor's security team—not just the account executive. This replaces a “boatload of stuff” with focused, actionable remediation steps.

The CISO's role is complex, but one of the most ignored yet crucial parts is culture. Though hosts disagreed on whether security culture is a CISO’s main job (some saying it’s a shared leadership responsibility), all agreed that moving away from a culture of blame is necessary to move the needle on security awareness and resilience.

Get Off the Ransomware Rollercoaster

The constant stress and overwhelming volume of information demand a structured defense. By focusing on smart measurement, process automation, and fostering a healthy, resilient culture, you can stop reacting to the headlines and start managing the actual risk in your supply chain.

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Next Time on Third Party

You’ve heard what to do. Next episode, we’ll show you what not to do—common pitfalls that ruin most TPRM strategies. It’s going to be spicy.