The US government on Thursday revealed an online hub for the victims of ransomware attacks, announcing it will make it easier for companies and towns to find resources and get assistance if cyber hackers target them. At the same time, the government also declared that it would pay a reward of up to $10 million to anyone who can provide beneficial tips to track down cybercriminals. The new website is an action led by the Justice and Homeland Security departments.
Many of the resources and information that companies need to deal with ransomware attacks have historically been spread across multiple websites, which increased the “likelihood of missing important information,” the Justice Department said in a statement.
The website is “the first central hub consolidating ransomware resources from all federal government agencies,” it said. The US State Department’s Rewards are giving the $10 million reward for Justice Program. The department said it has set up a dark web channel to help protect any tipsters who come forward with information. Reward payments may be paid in cryptocurrency, it added. The launch of the new website and the reward come after a ransomware attack earlier this year against the Colonial Pipeline Co. that led to extensive shortages at gas stations along the East Coast of the United States.