The Biden administration and Congress are gearing up to confront ransomware attacks on hospitals as the federal government increases its involvement in cybersecurity, according to a May 5 report by The Hill.
"The threat is real. The threat is upon us. The risk is to all of us," Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said at a virtual conference hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Eight things to know:
- The Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security and Capitol Hill are all part of the efforts to tame ransomware attacks, which have spiked since the start of the pandemic.
- More than $350 million in victim funds have been paid as a result of ransomware in the past year, Mr. Mayorkas said.
- The rate of ransomware has increased by more than 300 percent in the past year.
- DHS made tackling ransomware attacks a prime focus in its first of several 60-day sprints to target the problem with the agency's resources.
- Mr. Mayorkas said during a separate virtual event that the White House was developing a plan to confront ransomware attacks, but the White House has not announced it yet.
- The Justice Department launched a Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force in April and will also launch a 120-day review of cybersecurity challenges under Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco's leadership.
- Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), the chair of the House Homeland Security cybersecurity subcommittee, said at her subcommittee hearing that ransomware attacks are a national security threat at her subcommittee hearing.
- Ms. Clarke will be reintroducing bipartisan legislation to provide local, state, tribal and federal governments with $500 million annually to combat cyberattacks.