The reported ransom payment by a beleaguered U.S. oil pipeline company to cyber hackers may spur even more criminal malware attacks on critical U.S. targets, according to cybersecurity experts, and could fuel calls for a ban on such payments.
The critiques stem from a decision by Colonial Pipeline, a gasoline delivery company, to pay more than $5 million for control of its computer system from a criminal syndicate known as Darkside.
“The time has absolutely come for governments to consider prohibiting ransom payments,” said Brett Callow, a threat analyst with the the security firm, Emisoft. “If the payments stop, the attacks will stop.
“The alternative is that our health care systems, critical infrastructure, local governments, schools and other public and private sector bodies continue to targeted with an ongoing bombardment of financially-motivated cyberattacks.”
“I personally believe that part of the reason there is a thriving market and eco-system for ransomware is that people are paying,” agreed Michael Daniel, who served as President Barack Obama’s cybersecurity coordinator with the National Security Council. “Now, it’s a national security and safety threat. And the Colonial Pipeline example makes that abundantly clear.”
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That perspective was not unanimous, however. Industry officials and some cybersecurity experts contend that outlawing cyber ransom…
