Paying a Ransom: Does It Really Encourage More Attacks?

Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, such as the breach of a water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Florida, are relatively common, so the apparent ransom payment in the Colonial Pipeline incident is likely to have little influence, some security pros say. “The floodgates are already open,” says Etay Maor, senior director of cybersecurity strategy at the Cato Institute, a think tank.