"Feds Set Roadmap for SLTTs in Ransomware Fight"

Federal officials are urging state and local government, as well as education leaders, to focus on some of the federal government's top existing resources in the fight against ransomware attacks. They are encouraged not to give in to the demands for ransom payments. David Stern of the US Homeland Security Department's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Dave Hinchman of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) outlined the ransomware landscape for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) entities as well as K-12 institutions, and pointed to federal resources that can assist. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools and SLTT entities have faced an unprecedented number of adversaries demanding ransom for stolen data. According to Hinchman and Stern, paying the demanded ransoms supports the activities of organized criminal groups that cannot be trusted. Stern highlighted the dangers posed by attackers, warning that they are highly sophisticated and professionalized organizations. It is critical to know since they are investing in their activities and need to monetize their intrusions into organizations and sensitive data in order to break even. Therefore, the best way to stop that is to refuse to pay. This article continues to discuss the importance of not paying the cybercriminals behind ransomware attacks, and the resources organizations could use to prepare to defend against such attacks. 

MeriTalk reports "Feds Set Roadmap for SLTTs in Ransomware Fight"