Senators: Has Uncle Sam Paid Off Ransomware Criminals? (securityledger.com)

chicksdaddy writes: Just a month after an FBI official admitted that his agency sometimes advised companies stricken with ransomware to pay the ransom, two U.S. Senators are requesting information about federal agencies' encounters with ransomware malware, and whether Uncle Sam might have paid ransoms, also. "Have federal state or local governments sought DOJ or FBI’s help to remove ransomware from their computers," the Senators asked in a letter (PDF download) addressed to Attorney General Loretta Lynch. "If so, please describe the nature of any assistance sought, whether agencies have paid ransoms to remove ransomware, and whether DOJ or the FBI was able to decrypt the computer systems."

Comments

Re:Officially or unofficially?

[houstonbofh]

Consulting services.

Re: New York State has paid the criminals.

[Anonymous Coward]

No he ordered an assknob from Amazon. Followed the directions, inserted assknob and began pleasuring himself for the "wrong team".

Re:Is ransomware tax-deductible?

[msauve]

"Extortion counts as theft."

So I can deduct tax payments from my taxes? Woo-hoo!