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:
- Deception in Depth: PRC-nexus espionage campaign hijacks web traffic to target diplomats
August 25, 2025
This blog post presents Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) findings and analysis of this espionage campaign, as well as the evolution of the threat actor’s operational capabilities. GTIG examine how the malware is delivered, how the threat actor utilized social engineering and evasion techniques, and technical aspects of the multi-stage malware payloads. In this campaign, the ...
- A new security flaw in TheTruthSpy phone spyware is putting victims at risk
August 25, 2025
A stalkerware maker with a history of multiple data leaks and breaches now has a critical security vulnerability that allows anyone to take over any user account and steal their victim’s sensitive personal data, TechCrunch has confirmed. Independent security researcher Swarang Wade found the vulnerability, which allows anyone to reset the password of any user of ...
- The Resurgence of IoT Malware: Inside the Mirai-Based Botnet Campaign
August 22, 2025
Over the past year, FortiGuard Labs has been tracking a stealthy malware strain exploiting a range of vulnerabilities to infiltrate systems. Initially disclosed by a Chinese cybersecurity firm under the name “Gayfemboy.” The malware resurfaced this past July with new activity, this time targeting vulnerabilities in products from vendors such as DrayTek, TP-Link, Raisecom, and Cisco, ...
- Massive data breach sees 16 million PayPal accounts leaked online
August 22, 2025
Hackers recently announced on a well-known forum that they were selling a dataset of 15.8 million stolen PayPal credentials, allegedly including login emails and plaintext passwords. The cybercriminals claim the information was stolen in May 2025, and the dataset contains not just emails and passwords but also associated URLs, making it easier for criminals to automate ...
- African authorities dismantle massive cybercrime and fraud networks, recover millions
August 22, 2025
LYON, France – In a sweeping INTERPOL-coordinated operation, authorities across Africa have arrested 1,209 cybercriminals targeting nearly 88,000 victims. The crackdown recovered USD 97.4 million and dismantled 11,432 malicious infrastructures, underscoring the global reach of cybercrime and the urgent need for cross-border cooperation. Operation Serengeti 2.0 (June to August 2025) brought together investigators from 18 African ...
- All Apple users should update after company patches zero-day vulnerability in all platforms
August 21, 2025
Apple has released security updates for iPhones, iPads and Macs to fix a zero-day vulnerability (a vulnerability which Apple was previously unaware of) that is reportedly being used in targeted attacks. Apple has acknowledged reports that attackers may have already used this flaw in a highly sophisticated operation aimed at specific, high‑value targets. But history teaches ...