Cybersecurity Tiger Team Assembled To Maul Ransomware Thugs, Intercept Their Money Trail
Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and both organizations, such as the Washington D.C. Police Department, and individuals like QNAP NAS owners, are being targeted relentlessly. To help combat this, leaders from Amazon, Cisco, FireEye, McAfee, Microsoft, and other firms joined forces with the U.S. Department of Justice, Europol, and the U.K. National Crime Agency to call for an international coalition to fight against ransomware criminals. Simply put, we do not negotiate with terrorists, and this is only an extension of that philosophy.
This week, an 81-page report that outlined the Ransomware Task Force and goals of the group was delivered to the Biden administration. It urged the U.S. to lead by example when it comes to tackling ransomware, stating the White House should coordinate and "execute a sustained, aggressive, whole of government, intelligence-driven anti-ransomware campaign." The White House would accomplish this by facilitating interagency work, coalitions, and Cyber Response and Recovery funds.
1) Deter Ransomware AttacksThe Ransomware Task Force describes the four main goals as "interlocking and mutually reinforcing," so that as each one is enacted, the noose tightens around the people behind ransomware. attacks Perhaps we will soon see an announcement from the Biden administration backing this plan, so stay tuned to HotHardware for updates on this situation.
This goal will involve making it known that ransomware is a priority for law enforcement and that there will be consequences for these illicit actions. Furthermore, the U.S will apply pressure to countries that act as malware safe havens to try and smoke out the bad actors.
2) Disrupt Ransomware Business Model
Ransomware is a financially motivated crime, and the Task Force hopes to disrupt payment methods to make ransomware less profitable. The Task Force will also move to disrupt ransomware infrastructure and the people behind the attacks themselves through persecution.
3) Help Organizations Prepare
Anyone can fall to ransomware, so the Task Force will develop a " clear, actionable framework for ransomware mitigation, response, and recovery." This goal will also involve creating awareness campaigns as well as improving cybersecurity oversight.
4) Respond To Ransomware Attacks More Effectively
Rather than having a company pay the ransom, this step aims to look for alternative paths out of the situation. Moreover, the goal is to have a dedicated team for emergency ransomware response to help these companies handle the chaos.
