The U.S. government has unveiled www.StopRansomware.gov, an online hub for companies and municipalities to find resources and get assistance if they are targeted by cyberattacks, Reuters notes.
Also, the government says it will pay a reward up to $10 million to anyone who can provide fruitful tips to track down cyber criminals who are backed or directed by foreign governments, Reuters adds.
Taking Stand Against Ransomware Attacks
The efforts emerge following multiple high-profile ransomware attacks against U.S. government agencies and businesses. Some of those attacks directly impacted MSPs (managed IT service providers) and their end-customers.
Indeed, a REvil ransomware attack against Kaseya VSA in July 2021 hit roughly 50 MSPs and spread to as many as 1,500 end-customer businesses. Thousands of MSPs lost access to their RMM (remote monitoring and management) software for more than a week as Kaseya worked to patch the system.
Amid that attack, the CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), introduced Guidance for MSPs and Small- and Mid-sized Businesses to help mitigate ransomware threats.
Executive Order on Cybersecurity: IT Service Provider Implications
Meanwhile, the Biden Administration is taking a close look at the role IT service providers play in supply chain security and related attacks. In fact, President Biden's executive order on cybersecurity, issued in May 2021, mentioned IT service providers more than a dozen times.
