US works to gain ground in combating ransomware threats

The U.S. Joint Ransomware Task Force has introduced various working groups aimed at addressing various areas of the ransomware epidemic plaguing the U.S. as the country looks to gain a foothold in combating increasingly prevalent and sophisticated ransomware threats, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. "Broadly, success needs to look like reduced impacts from ransomware intrusions affecting American organizations. Thats why we are here. That is the end state that we are trying to achieve: where we are not having K-12 schools and hospitals impacted by ransomware in a way that is really potentially causing harm to too many Americans lives," said Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Executive Assistant Director Eric Goldstein, who co-chairs the task force along with FBI Cyber Division Head Bryan Vorndran. While the task force will be monitoring the ransomware attack prevalence, it will also be tracking potential changes in attackers' tactics, techniques, and procedures, noted Vorndran.