US mayors group adopts resolution not to pay any more ransoms to hackers

[Eugene]

Source: ZDNet

US mayors group adopts resolution not to pay any more ransoms to hackers

US mayors vow not to give in to more extortion demands following ransomware attacks.

By Catalin Cimpanu for Zero Day | July 11, 2019 -- 18:34 GMT (11:34 PDT) | Topic: Security

The US Conference of Mayors unanimously adopted yesterday a resolution not to pay any more ransom demands to hackers following ransomware infections.

"Paying ransomware attackers encourages continued attacks on other government systems, as perpetrators financially benefit," the adopted resolution reads.

"The United States Conference of Mayors has a vested interest in de-incentivizing these attacks to prevent further harm," it said.

"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors stands united against paying ransoms in the event of an IT security breach."

The resolution adopted this week at the 87th annual meeting of the US Conference of Mayors doesn't have any legal binding, but can be used as an official position to justify administrative actions, for both federal authorities and taxpayers alike.

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Read more: https://www.zdnet.com/article/us-mayors-group-adopts-resolution-not-to-pay-any-more-ransoms-to-hackers/

[Farmer-Rick]

1. Why would they even consider paying?

Ransomeware locked up my 3 years of files but it would be a cold day in hell before I'd pay them a red cent.

Bunch of crooks, what would keep them from coming back and locking out more files with a new and better virus? Paying just encourages them. And they would then target you because you paid them.

[Eugene]

2. Recent ransomware payments have been covered by insurance (minus a small deductible).

They may not have working backup copies of critical system files, or they consider paying the ransom the quickest way to get their systems back.