What is Old is New Again: Lessons in Anti-Ransom Policy

Understanding Ransom Policy to Combat Ransomware

While ransomware as an online threat may be relatively new, the criminal incentives behind the use of force and ransoms are not. Kidnapping for ransom as a crime has been traced as far back as ancient Rome, giving researchers and policymakers precedent when investing resources into long-term anti-ransomware efforts, such as ongoing considerations to ban ransomware payments to gangs, purchasing insurance, and mandating victim organizations to report ransomware attacks and payments. Below, we …

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