The UK plans to ban the public sector from paying ransoms to cybercrime gangs

The British government plans to ban public sector institutions and operators of key national infrastructure, such as the National Health Service, local councils and schools, from paying ransoms to cybercrime gangs.

Reuters reported that the UK has frequently been a victim of ransomware attacks in recent years, from the "WannaCry" cyber attack that paralyzed the National Health Service (NHS) in 2017 to the service disruption faced by British libraries in 2023 due to their refusal to pay ransom.

UK National Security Secretary Jarvis said in a statement: "We are determined to break the business model of cybercrime and protect the public services on which we depend for survival." We are sending a clear signal: The UK is firm and united in its stance against ransomware.

The statement pointed out that ransomware is a type of malicious software through which criminals invade the victim's computer system, encrypt data or steal information and demand ransom. Such attacks cause millions of pounds in losses to the British economy every year.

The statement also said that the recent attacks have highlighted "serious risks in terms of operation, finance and even life safety".

The government has proposed a package of new measures, including establishing a system to prevent victims from paying ransoms and a reporting mechanism for ransomware incidents.

According to this proposal, although some enterprises are not within the scope of the ban, if they wish to pay the ransom, they must report to the government in order to obtain advice and assistance.

Meanwhile, the government is also formulating a mandatory notification mechanism to enable law enforcement agencies to obtain necessary intelligence, combat criminal activities and disrupt their operational networks.