Agencies across the U.S. government have launched a new website to combat the threat of ransomware, aimed at protecting American businesses and communities from ransomware attacks.
Together with federal partners, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the new StopRansomware.gov is a collaborative effort across the federal government and the first joint website created to help private and public organizations mitigate their ransomware risk.
From informative topics covering ‘What is Ransomware’, ‘Have you been Hit by Ransomware’, to ‘Avoid Being Hit by Ransomware’, StopRansomware.gov establishes a one-stop hub for ransomware resources for individuals, businesses, and other organizations.
“As ransomware attacks continue to rise around the world, businesses and other organizations must prioritize their cybersecurity,” explained DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“Cyber criminals have targeted critical infrastructure, small businesses, hospitals, police departments, schools, and more.”
“These attacks directly impact Americans’ daily lives and the security of our Nation. I urge every organization across our country to use this new resource to learn how to protect themselves from ransomware and reduce their cybersecurity risk.”
StopRansomware.gov is the first central hub consolidating ransomware resources from all federal government agencies.
Previously, individuals and organizations had to visit a variety of websites to find guidance, latest alerts, updates, and resources, increasing the likelihood of missing important information.
StopRansomware.gov reduces the fragmentation of resources, which is especially detrimental for those who have become victims of an attack, by integrating federal ransomware resources into a single platform that includes clear guidance on how to report attacks, and the latest ransomware-related alerts and threats from all participating agencies.
StopRansomware.gov includes resources and content from DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Departments of the Treasury and Health and Human Services.
Ransomware is a long-standing problem and a growing national security threat, and tackling this challenge requires collaboration across every level of government, the private sector, and our communities.
Roughly $350 million in ransom was paid to malicious cyber actors in 2020, which was a more than 300% increase from the previous year.
Furthermore, there have already been multiple notable ransomware attacks in 2021 and despite making up roughly 75% of all ransomware cases, attacks on small businesses often go unnoticed.
Like most cyber-attacks, ransomware exploits a company or agency’s weakest link, and many small businesses have yet to adequately protect their networks.
StopRansomware.gov will help these organizations and many more to take simple steps to protect their networks and respond to ransomware incidents, while providing enterprise-level information technology (IT) teams the technical resources to reduce their ransomware risk.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting Americans from the rise in ransomware attacks that we have seen in recent years,” added U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“Along with our partners in and outside of government, and through our Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, the Department is working to bring all our tools to bear against these threats. But we cannot do it alone.”
“It is critical for business leaders across industries to recognize the threat, prioritize efforts to harden their systems, and work with law enforcement by reporting these attacks promptly.”
DHS, DOJ, the White House, and their federal partners encourage both individuals and organizations to visit StopRansomware.gov, to take the first step in protecting their cybersecurity.
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