The anatomy of a ransomware attack

It starts with a note saying your files are being held captive. It ends with a big payout or a lengthy investigation. POLITICO’s Sam Sabin breaks down how ransomware attacks go down — and what the U.S. is doing to prevent more of them. Plus, New Jersey’s attorney general will lead enforcement at the SEC. And the latest New York mayoral count is voided after ‘test’ ballots were included in the tally. Sam Sabin is a cybersecurity reporter for POLITICO. Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio. Read more in the Weekly Cybersecurity newsletter.