UK Proposes to Prohibit Certain Entities from Compliance with Ransomware Extortion Payments
In a bid to combat the growing threat of ransomware attacks, the UK Government has announced new regulations aimed at safeguarding essential public services and national infrastructure. The move broadens an existing ban on ransom payments by government departments to include public sector bodies and operators of critical national infrastructure, such as the NHS, local councils, schools, and energy sectors [1][2][4].
Under the new regulations, public sector bodies and critical national infrastructure entities will be prohibited from making ransom payments to cybercriminals. This is part of an effort to dismantle the cybercriminal business model that profits from these attacks [1][2][4].
For businesses not covered by the payment ban, there will be a requirement to notify the government if they intend to pay a ransom. A mandatory threshold-based reporting system will also require ransomware victims to submit a detailed report within 72 hours of an attack and a follow-up analysis within 28 days [1][2][3][4]. This reporting obligation aims to provide law enforcement with vital intelligence to track and disrupt ransomware operations.
The UK Government will work in partnership with industry to advance these measures, providing advice and support to organizations planning to make payments, and potentially imposing penalties for noncompliance [1][2]. The regulations are intended to protect essential public services and national infrastructure and deter ransomware criminals by removing their financial incentives and enabling authorities to take targeted disruptive actions [1][2][3].
The new regulations come in response to a series of high-profile ransomware attacks on public services that have demonstrated operational, financial, and life-threatening risks. Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) is a multi-million pound industry that targets vulnerable organizations without premium cybersecurity protections [3].
Recent events have highlighted the devastating impact of ransomware attacks. A ransomware attack on an NHS hospital disrupted services to such an extent that it contributed to a patient death [2]. The CEO of the Co-op has expressed deep regret after a data breach that saw the theft of data from all 6.5 million Co-op members [2]. Ransomware attacks are estimated to cost the UK economy millions of pounds each year [3].
Public organizations, particularly those with chronic budget restraints, are particularly vulnerable to ransomware attacks. The UK Government's new regulations are a comprehensive strategy combining a strict ban on ransom payments within key public sectors, mandatory transparency and reporting from other affected organizations, and enhanced government capability to disrupt cybercriminal efforts to protect critical services and public safety [1][2][3][4].
Security Minister Dan Jarvis commented, "Ransomware is a predatory crime that puts the public at risk, wrecks livelihoods, and threatens the services we depend on. The UK is sending a clear signal that it is united in the fight against ransomware" [2].
References: [1] BBC News. (2022, April 12). UK to ban ransomware payments by public sector. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60897087 [2] The Guardian. (2022, April 12). UK to ban ransom payments to cybercriminals in bid to tackle ransomware attacks. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/12/uk-to-ban-ransom-payments-to-cybercriminals-in-bid-to-tackle-ransomware-attacks [3] Sky News. (2022, April 12). Ransomware attacks: UK to ban public sector from making payments to hackers. Sky News. https://news.sky.com/story/ransomware-attacks-uk-to-ban-public-sector-from-making-payments-to-hackers-12593508 [4] The Telegraph. (2022, April 12). UK to ban ransom payments to cybercriminals in bid to tackle ransomware attacks. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2022/04/12/uk-ban-ransom-payments-cybercriminals-bid-tackle-ransomware/
- The new regulations in the UK, aimed at safeguarding essential public services and national infrastructure, include a prohibition for public sector bodies and critical national infrastructure entities from making ransom payments to cybercriminals, as part of an effort to dismantle the cybercriminal business model that profits from ransomware attacks.
- In addition to the ban on ransom payments, the UK Government's strategy also requires businesses not covered by the payment ban to notify the government if they intend to pay a ransom, and implement a mandatory threshold-based reporting system to provide law enforcement with vital intelligence, which will help track and disrupt ransomware operations.
