How Law Enforcement is Fighting Ransomware

Ransomware is on the rise worldwide. Find out what law enforcement agencies are doing to protect citizens and businesses from ransomware.

Security

Jun 12, 2017

by PSafe Newsroom

As ransomware increases worldwide, law enforcement agencies are struggling with how to respond. After all, it’s very hard to recover a victim’s data, and nearly impossible to find the cybercriminals responsible for a ransomware attack. That’s why it’s important to take certain precautions in advance to protect your device from ransomware. You should run regular virus scans to check for any hidden malware on your phone. Click here to check your device for malware with the Full Virus Scan feature:

After infecting a computer or smartphone, ransomware can often go undetected for a long time, usually because it doesn’t exhibit the more obvious signs of a malware infection, such as sudden poor performance or adware. Full Virus Scan will allow you to check your phone for any malware or security threats that could compromise your device. You should run it frequently, even if you don’t notice anything wrong with your phone.

Cybercriminals Are Tough to Track Down

First of all, many ransomware attacks originate overseas. It’s very hard to arrest cybercriminals because it’s hard to locate them. Thanks to the Internet, cybercrime can be fairly untraceable — unless, of course, the criminal brags about his or her crime on a popular online chat room. Ransoms are typically paid in Bitcoins, which are also nearly impossible to trace.

The Law Doesn’t Have Time to Catch Up

International law enforcement agencies, for example, have teamed up to launch No More Ransom, an informative website designed to prevent ransomware and assist victims. As for the U.S., most states do not even have laws in place to properly charge and sentence ransomware criminals. Currently, Wyoming and California have laws in place that treat ransomware as a type of extortion; Maryland isn’t too far behind. But what about the rest of the U.S.? Ransomware has increased exponentially over the last several years — every state should be interested in passing similar laws.

How You Can Help the Police Fight Ransomware

It’s generally recommended that you contact the police after your device is infected with ransomware — you should never pay the ransom. Even if there’s little they can do, they’ll be able to make note of the crime. This can help to determine the scale of the cyberattack. If you do your part in reporting a ransomware attack, this will help law enforcement agencies get the information to the public. Sharing information about a massive, widespread ransomware attack — such as the WannaCry attack — may encourage businesses and individuals to take ransomware more seriously and update their cybersecurity efforts.