In 2021, North Carolina became the first state to prohibit public ransomware payments, even going so far as to ban negotiations with cyber criminals. It was a groundbreaking move. Florida followed suit in 2022, but its legislation took a less stringent approach, covering a narrower range of entities and omitting some of the stricter provisions found in North Carolina’s law.
North Carolina and Florida’s bans are the only ones that exist at the state level, but they have ignited a nationwide conversation about the best way to combat this pervasive cyber threat. Years later, experts still haven’t come to a unified conclusion about whether it’s the right approach. The heart of the matter lies in a moral and fiscal dilemma: Should governments refuse to fund criminal enterprises, even when the alternative could mean crippling disruptions to essential services like hospitals, schools and public safety?
Read more…
Source: Government Technology
Related:
- Fake WinRAR downloads hide malware behind a real installer
January 8, 2026
A member of Malwarebytes Labs web research team pointed the author to a fake WinRAR installer that was linked from various Chinese websites. When these links start to show up, that’s usually a good indicator of a new campaign. So, the author downloaded the file and started an analysis, which turned out to be something of ...
- One million customers on alert as extortion group claims massive Brightspeed data haul
January 7, 2026
US fiber broadband company Brightspeed is investigating claims by the Crimson Collective extortion group that it stole sensitive data belonging to more than 1 million residential customers, including extensive personally identifiable information (PII), as well as account and billing details. Brightspeed is one of the largest fiber broadband providers in the US and serves customers across ...
- Hackers use ‘Blue Screen of Death’ malware to target victims
January 6, 2026
Russian cybercriminals are trying to deploy backdoors and infostealers on people’s computers through a new ClickFix campaign – but this one comes with a sinister twist. ClickFix attacks are usually centered around pop-ups – the victim gets an error message, and at the same time is offered a fix. That fix, be it to run a ...
- Hacktivist deletes white supremacist websites live onstage during hacker conference
January 5, 2026
A hacktivist remotely wiped three white supremacist websites live onstage during their talk at a hacker conference last week, with the sites yet to return online. The pseudonymous hacker, who goes by Martha Root — dressed as Pink Ranger from the Power Rangers — deleted the servers of WhiteDate, WhiteChild, and WhiteDeal in real time ...
- France: Ten people found guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron
January 5, 2026
A Paris court has found ten people guilty of cyberbullying France’s first lady Brigitte Macron. All defendants were handed a variety of sentences, ranging from cyberbullying awareness training to eight-month suspended prison terms. The French court pointed to “particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious” comments referring to false claims regarding alleged trans identity and alleged criminality targeting ...
- 2025 was a terrible year for the ‘Four Families’ accused of running global cyber scam operations
January 4, 2026
People traded as commodities, iron cages used for punishment, severed fingers and even human sacrifice. These grisly details, revealed during interrogations of some of Asia’s most notorious criminal magnates, expose the horror of life in the many scam factories that dot Myanmar’s rugged and lawless border with China. The suspects were alleged members of powerful crime ...