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Congress needs to update and expand federal laws to combat the surge in ransomware attacks, federal cybersecurity experts told the Senate Judiciary Committee at a Tuesday hearing.
At the hearing held to address a series of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure, including incidents targeting Colonial Pipeline Co. and meat processor JBS, senators heard from security experts at the U.S. Justice Department, FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Secret Service.
Congress should pass legislation that requires reporting of certain incidents to the federal government, gives law enforcement agencies additional tools to disrupt cybercriminal activity and enhances the ability of federal prosecutors to pursue prosecutions, Richard Downing, deputy assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, testified.
