Following the epic ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline and top meat producer JBS, some government officials have called on Congress and the administration to ban organizations from making ransom payments to threat actors. The goal of such a ban would be to codify the FBI’s current advice: Don’t pay ransomware attackers lest you encourage more of the same.
Despite some support at the federal level, most administration officials don’t seem to embrace the idea of an outright ban fully. “Typically, that is a private-sector decision, and the administration has not offered further advice at this time,” Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity, told reporters at a White House press briefing in May. No member of Congress or the Senate has yet introduced legislation banning ransom payments.
