Lawmakers, Officials Struggle With Response to Rise In Ransomware Attacks

Lawmakers and U.S. officials are struggling with how to respond to recent increases in cyberattacks.

Bipartisan legislation is being drafted that would require immediate federal reporting of ransomware attacks.

That would help the FBI identify attackers and possibly retrieve ransomware payments, as they were able to do for Colonial Pipeline.

However, there is little support for banning companies from paying ransoms.

Federal officials discourage companies from paying because it can incentive hackers to continue their attacks, but they also recognize that is can be equally destructive for victims not to pay.