US to Treat Repeated Ransomware Attacks as Terrorism and Respond Accordingly

US Department of Justice "Elevated to Priority Level Similar to Terror Attacks"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Amid a series of recent ransomware attacks targeting American companies, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced its intention to recognize these attacks as being on par with terrorism and to actively respond at the federal government level.

According to major foreign media on the 3rd (local time), the Department of Justice revealed in an internal directive sent to prosecutors nationwide that ransomware investigations will be elevated to a priority level similar to that of terrorist attacks.

According to the directive obtained by foreign media, the Department of Justice recommended that "all information related to ransomware attacks be sent to the recently established task force in Washington, D.C."

The directive also stated, "By centralizing the internal tracking system, the purpose is to identify connections between incidents inside and outside the United States and to gain a more comprehensive understanding of security threats."

John Carlin, Acting Deputy Attorney General, said, "This measure means implementing specific procedures to closely track all ransomware attacks."

Carlin added, "This model (the federal government's internal tracking system) has been used in the past for terrorism but never for ransomware," emphasizing, "It reflects how much the federal government prioritizes ransomware."

The largest oil pipeline company in the US, Colonial Pipeline, which suffered a ransomware attack last month [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 7th of last month, Colonial Pipeline, the largest pipeline operator in the U.S., halted operations due to a ransomware attack, causing an oil supply shortage and triggering panic buying. Additionally, on the 30th of last month, JBS USA, the American subsidiary of JBS SA, one of the world's largest meat processing companies, suffered a cyberattack that led to the partial closure of its North American plants.

Notably, both attacks have been attributed to Russian hacker groups, leading analysts to suggest that the U.S. government has begun viewing ransomware attacks as acts of terrorism by foreign entities. The Department of Justice's directive stating that "ransomware attacks are a threat to our nation" is also interpreted as a judgment that ransomware goes beyond private-sector cybercrime.

Furthermore, the White House has recommended that American companies establish measures to prevent ransomware attacks.

On the same day, the U.S. White House National Security Council (NSC) sent a letter to business executives stating, "No company should assume it is immune from ransomware," and urged companies to "review plans to discuss cyberattack threats and ensure the ability to recover quickly."

The letter also recommended implementing multiple authentication procedures, strengthening security teams, conducting regular backups and update tests, and segregating and restricting internet access to operational networks.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.