DOJ launches task force to address ransomware threats

Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General John Carlin announced the Department of Justice established a task force to address ransomware attacks, The Wall Street Journal reports. In a memorandum circulated within the DOJ, Carlin said the increasing prevalence of ransomware "jeopardizes the safety and health of Americans" and described action needed to "break the back of this cycle." The task force will seek to increase intelligence sharing among DOJ entities while working to reveal the origins of the attacks, both cybercriminals and their country. Editor's note: The IAPP recently reported on the rise in ransomware attacks.