Senate asks DHS: you don't negotiate with terrorists, but do you pay off ransomware? The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs wants to know how secured government PCs are against ransomware, and whether any agencies have paid off hackers to unlock their files. In a pair of open letters to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Senators Tom …
you give too much credit where none is due ;)
the real questions are (#1) if their backups are current and (#2) properly done so that ransomware encryptions of their data don't overwrite existing backups and (#3) if they have paid ransomware demands, was that employee sacked and made to pay out of their own pocket for their stupidity...
I think you're confusing DHS with NSA. But, since they supposedly (roll-eyes) work together... easy to mix them up.
As for ransomware... not the American way. They don't want our money, they want our undivided faith and belief (and a budget and power) that their getting their way is a good thing.
So the dumber than fleas (Mark Twain) expects the totally clueless to have an idea of how to handle ransomware. I am not so sure that a successful ransomware attack against the feral government would not be blessing. They would not be harassing anyone for a few months as they try to clean up the mess.
To improve the feral government mismanagement they need to hire a few PHBs. Yes there is something worse than a PHB.
Which would cost more - paying off the ransomware scum, or compiling pointless and lengthy reports for congress critters who won't understand it anyway, beyond its potential for a few soundbites, slagging off the executive, and some posturing in front of the cameras?
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