Over the weekend, the Australian government announced that it is considering banning ransomware payments due to the Medibank data breach that impacted thousands of Australians. According to the Australian Federal Police, the cyberattack against Medibank has been linked to Russian cyber-criminals who may have an affiliation with the REvil cyber gang. The cyber gang was supposedly dismantled by Russian authorities earlier this year.
The Australian government is considering making ransomware payments illegal, hoping to discourage cyber attackers from deploying the harmful software. Additionally, Australia believes that the move would decrease the profitability or the potential for profit when it comes to criminal organizations and data breaches. The announcement was delivered on ABC television on Sunday.
Read More: Australia Considers Ban on Ransomware Payments After Medibank Breach