Paying fortifies ransomware gangs but scant support for bans

A file photo of a US Department of Homeland Security plaque. The damned-if-you-pay-damned-if-you-don’t dilemma on ransomware payments has left US officials fumbling about how to respond. While the Biden administration ‘strongly discourages’ paying, it recognises that failing to pay would be suicidal for some victims. — AP

BOSTON: For Americans whose businesses fall victim to ransomware and want simple advice on whether to pay the criminals, don’t expect much help from the US government. The answer is apt to be: It depends.

“It is the position of the US government that we strongly discourage the payment of ransoms,” Eric Goldstein, a top cybersecurity official in the Department of Homeland Security, told a congressional hearing last week.