FBI director warns companies against paying ransom for cyberattacks

Meat producer JBS USA said it paid US$11mil (RM45mil) to criminals responsible for a May 30 ransomware attack that disrupted its operations across North America and Australia. — 123rf

Companies and organisations that are victims of ransomware attacks shouldn’t pay hackers to unlock their data and should quickly contact law enforcement, which opens up the possibility of creative solutions, FBI director Christopher Wray said.

"It is our policy, it is our guidance from the FBI, that companies should not pay the ransom,” Wray told the House Judiciary Committee at a hearing Thursday.