Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division, said July 27 at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that making the payment illegal could result in further extortion by cybergangs, according to a July 27 CNN report.
“If we ban ransom payments now, you’re putting U.S. companies in a position to face yet another extortion, which is being blackmailed for paying the ransom and not sharing that with authorities,” Mr. Vorndran said.
There have been debates over whether to make paying ransoms to cybergangs illegal. Mr. Vorndran said the FBI is tracking more than 100 active ransomware gangs, NBC News reported July 27. Making payments illegal could cut off a major income source for the networks of hackers.
“It’s a really complicated conversation, but it’s our position that banning ransom payments is not the road to go down,” Mr. Vorndran said.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
