US lawmakers are considering a new proposal to classify countries where cyber criminal ransomware groups operate as state sponsors of terrorism. This proposal is part of the Intelligence Authorisation Act for the 2025 fiscal year, brought forward by Mark Warner, a Democratic senator from Virginia and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Countries like Russia, which are believed to support ransomware schemes and provide shelter for criminal gang members, would face penalties and sanctions similar to those imposed on countries like Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. The proposal also identifies several ransomware groups with links to Russia, including Black Basta, BlackCat, Cl0p, Conti, DarkSide, LockBit, and ReVIL.
Sanctions for countries designated as state sponsors of terror include restrictions on US foreign assistance, defense exports, exports of dual-use items, and financial and other restrictions. The bill also suggests treating ransomware attacks on critical national infrastructure as an intelligence priority under the US National Intelligence Priorities Framework.
Jon Miller, CEO of Halcyon Security, highlighted the need to address ransomware attacks targeting healthcare providers and critical infrastructure operators. He emphasized that ransomware attacks, while often seen as criminal activity, can also serve geopolitical agendas and should be considered acts of terrorism when targeting critical infrastructure.
The proposed legislation could impact UK organizations, especially those doing business in the US. The UK government is also planning new cybersecurity laws, including the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which aims to improve reporting of ransomware incidents. However, the UK has not yet put forward detailed proposals on additional measures.
Recent discussions in the UK have focused on banning ransomware payments as a possible solution, following similar debates in the US. It remains to be seen how the UK will address this issue, with the possibility of following the US’ lead on this matter.