Q My business has been hit by a ransomware attack. Should I pay?
A Over recent months, government agencies including the FBI and the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (the public-facing branch of GCHQ) have become increasingly vocal about encouraging ransomware victims not to pay up.
Akin to the blanket policies that many nations take against refusing to negotiate with those involved in maritime kidnappings, proponents of ransomware non-payment say this is the only way to ensure that such cyberattacks will cease.
In reality, however, the situation is far more nuanced. Though they may agree with the moral and logical arguments for withholding payment, it’s not hard to see why many business owners faced with this dilemma continue to meet attackers’ demands, especially if the
