New proposals to counter ransomware

Have your say on new measures to counteract ransomware attacks

The Home Office has published a consultation on proposed measures to reduce ransomware harm in the UK. These measures include

• targeted ban on ransomware payments – for public sector bodies and critical national infrastructure
• ransomware payment prevention regime – to cover all payments across the UK
• mandatory ransomware incident reporting regime – potentially based on thresholds for suspected victims

The proposals aim to reduce cyber crime and protect UK businesses by

• cutting funds to ransomware criminals, deterring attacks on UK organisations
• boosting agencies’ ability to investigate and disrupt ransomware through better payment intelligence
• improving understanding of ransomware threats to shape future actions, including international cooperation

Why this matters to businesses

Ransomware attacks are a growing threat to UK businesses, causing financial losses, operational disruption, and reputational damage. Increasing transparency and limiting payments to criminals could help reduce the profitability of these attacks and deter future incidents.

Have your say

Businesses of all sizes, cyber security professionals, and other stakeholders are encouraged to share their views.

Find out more and respond to the ransomware consultation.

First published 16 January 2025