How should governments effectively blunt the growth of ransomware? There is a path, but it does not involve outlawing cryptocurrency!

I see many government politicians positioning a ban of cryptocurrency as a solution for ransomware. That would simply not work. It would create an obstacle for cybercriminals, but one they would pursue to overcome. At most, it would be a temporary setback for cybercriminals.  

In this week’s video, I discuss how governments can manœuvre to stop the ransomware epidemic. We must undermine the motivation of attackers by outlawing payment of digital extortion. Taking away the likely benefits of ransomware attacks is the only way to success. 

Ransomware is the scourge of the digital world at the moment. Individuals, business large-and-small, and governments across the globe are being impacted. 

Ransomware cybercriminal attackers infect a victim’s computer and modify the files in a way that they are not accessible to rightful users. 

Mostly this is done by encrypting them. 

Then they extort the victims to get the key to unlock the files. The price can be a few hundred dollars and range into the tens of millions. The average is around $100k for businesses. The current preferred method of payment is cryptocurrency.

The latest ransomware tactic is for the attacker to also steal the data and threaten to make it public if they are not paid. 

Sadly, many individuals, organizations, and even government agencies are paying the criminals. Often cyber insurance policies are used to cover the extortion costs. About 40% of all cyber insurance claims are related to ransomware.

Any payment to the criminals only reinforces the bad behaviors and adds to the global problem. When the attackers get what they want, the continue to pursue victims. The world of ransomware is now swelling out of control and exceeds $20 billion per year. I believe that is a conservative estimate, as ransomware is often not reported.

There is a move that governments can make, which will greatly undermine ransomware attacks, both at a local and international levels. I discuss this idea in this week's Cybersecurity Insights video and break down why it would be so effective.

We must stop vilifying technology and start addressing the root of the problem.

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