Features
Managing Ransomware
By YURI KOGAN and ZEV COHEN of Ergo Oriens Crisis Management
In the ‘All Connected World’ ransomware attacks gain traction. Criminals constantly improve at monetizing their access to your network & data. They target an organization, lock up the data, and then demand money hundreds of thousands of dollars or more – in exchange for releasing it to be paid in untraceable crypto- currency. Sometimes, restoration of data from backups is possible. Bypassing the encryption is also an option, but in many cases the bad guys find and destroy backups and use state-of-the-art encryption. The attackers often create backdoors to allow future infiltrations easier, so this may not be the last time you hear from them.
What can be done? What should be done? Should you pay? And what happens when the ransom is paid? What are the guarantees the perpetrators intend to hold up their end of the deal? And how do you know that whoever just propelled your business into the stone age can actually bring it back?
Ransomware attacks are automated but certainly NOT automatic. Humans stand behind these attacks, and as this is the issue professional crisis managers and negotiators, together with an experienced technological incident response team (IRT) can minimize loss and expedite the safe return of the organization to normal operations.
Ransomware negotiations are similar to business negotiations. Similar but not the same. Timing is crucial and simply playing for time may mean the attacker will stop responding and turn to the next, more responsive, victim, leaving you with your system beyond reach. Having said that doesn’t mean the victim should rush forward and immediately pay the ransom. Time is of the essence and should be skillfully used to explore possible ways to communicate with the perpetrator. In parallel the IRT carefully assesses the situation from a technological point of view, bringing into account possibilities of overcoming the attack and resuming operations by using technological means alone.
A professional multi-disciplinary ransomware management team will navigate to the most suitable alternative, gain knowledge on the perpetrators and bring you back to safety while minimizing your losses. Using tested and proven after-action-
debriefing techniques the team will significantly improve the victim’s defenses and heighten the odds this will not happen to you again.
Are there preset protocols to follow? A list of Do’s and Don’ts? Well, ransomware attacks differ, but there are some rules of the thumb to follow.
The first and foremost advise would be – BE PREPARED. This means businesses should follow best practice protocols to defend and preserve their IT environment. Backing up data, constantly monitoring the system and the threat environment either by in-house (less likely to be done by small and medium businesses) or outsourced experts, conducting drills, penetration tests and generally educating the employees to the cyber-threat and the ways to mitigate it. Purchasing a cyber- incident insurance plan is a prudent step to take.
As all hell breaks loose, an internal assessment of the situation and checking for existing backup files and their integrity should be the first thing to do. Unfortunately, many businesses do not follow best practice methods and therefore are more vulnerable to increased damage. The possibility of the attack being internally motivated should also be looked into, but this should not be the focus of the victim’s attention. Some of these processes could be performed by an internal IT team, but the best option would be to contact an experienced cyber-incident response team (IRT). For most businesses running an internal IRT team is an expensive and mostly unnecessary function. It is worth mentioning that the internal IT team will usually specialize in the routine maintenance and operation of the IT environment while a seasoned IRT continuously monitors, researches and deals with ransomware attacks.
The next point would be to establish a communications route to the attackers. Often the attackers give an anonymized communication line to the victims over which to guide them in the process of ransom payment, as this requires crypto- currency knowledge, that most people do not routinely have.
Once communications are established, the ransom negotiator will try to verify the attacker’s ability to make the highjacked data available again. This is crucial, as experience shows that some attacks are initiated by inexperienced attackers using questionable tools and scripts capable of hijacking the data but not of bringing it back.
Next, the negotiator will initiate a communications exchange with the attacker, aiming to reduce the ransom price. This should be done in sync with the IRT experts, using the time to explore every alley, street and avenue to restoring system functionality without actually paying the ransom.
The decision of whether to pay the ransom or not should be made by top level management, taking into account not only the ability to independently restore the IT environment but also the time it would take, as for most businesses having their IT systems inoperable means financial bleeding that should be minimized. Not least of all, senior management can consider the impact of ransom payment on the financial soundness of the company. This would be also be the place to mention that in some jurisdictions paying ransom to stop a ransomware attack could be considered illegal, or at the least regulated by the authorities. An experienced legal counsel should be consulted about navigating this issue.
When the victim’s IT environment is brought back to a functional state and the incident declared closed, it would be high time to conduct an after-action-review. When conducted by experienced professionals as a transparent process aimed at minimizing the chance of future attacks and improving robustness. Rather than punishing stake holders for past mistakes, the review highlights organizational strengths to preserve, and vulnerabilities to mend, resulting in improved means and processes that protect against, and when necessary, minimize future losses to cyber incidents.
Uncategorized
Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
Features
They Deserve the Very Best”: The Doctors Bringing Specialist Care to Holocaust Survivors at Home
Features
The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
