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If it was illegal to pay the hackers back, and the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack still happened, what would the options be? We'd have to turn the systems

If it was illegal to pay the hackers back, and the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack still happened, what would the options be? We'd have to turn the systems back on some way right?

N00bN00b 5y ago
Restore from backup.
- gjs278 5y ago
  ok let’s say they don’t have one. now what?
- rodneyg_ 5y ago
  Won't always be that simple. Let's say hackers also compromised the backups.
grayfaced 5y ago
They'd restore from backups, which is already what they did even after paying the ransom. More importantly, would the hack have happened in first place if they knew there was no chance of being paid? Every ransom paid just funds and encourages the next hack. The social damage is deserving of a large fine (i.e. 10x the ransom).
- whiddershins 5y ago
  Cleary it wasn’t that simple or they would have just done that.
  - toomanyrichies 5y ago
    Apparently they ended up having to do just that even after paying the ransom: "The decryption software provided by the hacking group DarkSide, notes Bloomberg, was reportedly 'so slow' that Colonial Pipeline 'continued using its own backups to help restore the system.'" Source- https://mashable.com/article/colonial-pipeline-paid-bitcoin-ransomware/ https://mashable.com/article/colonial-pipeline-paid-bitcoin-...
    - rodneyg_ 5y ago
      I mean if you have backups then sure, don't pay. Every case won't be that simple. It also seems a bit odd that they'd pay if they truly had all the backups they needed.
- gjs278 5y ago
  let’s say they have no backups. do you know what a hypothetical is? fucking moron.
- rodneyg_ 5y ago
  Theoretically, no, the hack wouldn't happen if they knew there was no chance. Realistically, yes, the hack would still happen. Because there will never be a world where people don't pay ransoms, especially if they have no other options / backups.
- mywittyname 5y ago
  If they restored from backup, how do they know the attack wouldn't hit again immediately? The ransom wasn't just to decrypt the data, but to halt the attack. > More importantly, would the hack have happened in first place if they knew there was no chance of being paid? Why wouldn't it? They could easily been paid by another group to perform the hack, used the hack to manipulate stock prices, sold the stolen financial data, or, most likely, the ransom would have been paid indirectly though some other means, like hiring a "cyber security consultant."

If it was illegal to pay the hackers back, and the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack still happened, what would the options be? We'd have to turn the systems back on some way right?

N00bN00b 5y ago

Restore from backup.

gjs278 5y ago
ok let’s say they don’t have one. now what?
rodneyg_ 5y ago
Won't always be that simple. Let's say hackers also compromised the backups.

grayfaced 5y ago

They'd restore from backups, which is already what they did even after paying the ransom. More importantly, would the hack have happened in first place if they knew there was no chance of being paid? Every ransom paid just funds and encourages the next hack. The social damage is deserving of a large fine (i.e. 10x the ransom).

whiddershins 5y ago
Cleary it wasn’t that simple or they would have just done that.
- toomanyrichies 5y ago
  Apparently they ended up having to do just that even after paying the ransom: "The decryption software provided by the hacking group DarkSide, notes Bloomberg, was reportedly 'so slow' that Colonial Pipeline 'continued using its own backups to help restore the system.'" Source- https://mashable.com/article/colonial-pipeline-paid-bitcoin-ransomware/ https://mashable.com/article/colonial-pipeline-paid-bitcoin-...
  - rodneyg_ 5y ago
    I mean if you have backups then sure, don't pay. Every case won't be that simple. It also seems a bit odd that they'd pay if they truly had all the backups they needed.
gjs278 5y ago
let’s say they have no backups. do you know what a hypothetical is? fucking moron.
rodneyg_ 5y ago
Theoretically, no, the hack wouldn't happen if they knew there was no chance. Realistically, yes, the hack would still happen. Because there will never be a world where people don't pay ransoms, especially if they have no other options / backups.
mywittyname 5y ago
If they restored from backup, how do they know the attack wouldn't hit again immediately? The ransom wasn't just to decrypt the data, but to halt the attack. > More importantly, would the hack have happened in first place if they knew there was no chance of being paid? Why wouldn't it? They could easily been paid by another group to perform the hack, used the hack to manipulate stock prices, sold the stolen financial data, or, most likely, the ransom would have been paid indirectly though some other means, like hiring a "cyber security consultant."