Threat Management

Senators press for answers on federal ransomware defense

Two U.S. senators this week pressed the Obama administrations to reveal the details of its plan to combat ransomware.

Senators Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, respectively, wrote to Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, asking for information on their agencies' plans regarding ransomware, according to The Hill.

The pair noted that the federal government is acting to protect its agencies, but little is being done to keep consumers safe.

“While much must be done to bolster the cyber defenses of our federal agencies, a far larger group, including individual consumers, faces a growing threat...,” the letter said, adding “Infected users face the difficult choice of paying the ransom or losing their files forever."

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