Australia to consider banning paying of ransoms to cyber criminals

The comments come after O'Neil, on Saturday, formalised a new cyber-policing model between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Signals Directorate – which intercepts electronic communications from foreign countries – to do "new tough policing" on cybercrime. — Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

SYDNEY: Australia's Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil on Sunday said the government would consider making illegal the paying of ransoms to cyber hackers, following recent cyber attacks affecting millions of Australians.

Australia's biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd, last month suffered a massive cyber attack, as Australia grapples with a rise in hacks.