Majority of Americans say ransomware attacks should be considered terrorism
Most also believe it should be made illegal to pay ransoms to hackers


Almost nine in ten Americans believe that a ransomware attack should be treated as an act of terrorism, according to a new poll.
The Mitre-Harris Poll survey, which collected responses from 2,037 US adults in October, found that 77% of people were concerned about ransomware, with 86% of people viewing infections at the same level as terrorist attacks.
How not to get hit by ransomware in 2022 Ransomware groups will target smaller businesses in 2022 - report Best ransomware removal tools
The poll also found strong objections to paying the criminals behind ransomware attacks; almost four in five people said that the law should forbid private companies from paying ransoms to hackers.
While the FBI disapproves of ransomware payments and the US Treasury has warned about potential sanction violations, there are no US laws forbidding payments yet.
RELATED RESOURCE
The secure cloud configuration imperative
The central role of cloud security posture management
The survey followed a series of increasingly high-profile ransomware attacks that affected US critical national infrastructure, including those on Colonial Pipeline, JBS Meats, and Iowa's New Cooperative farming group.
The US government is already ahead of the respondents; in June, the Department of Justice elevated ransomware attacks to a similar status as terrorism, and also created a centralized team to coordinate and share information on ransomware investigations. Senators have also proposed legislation that would target foreign nations that support ransomware actors.
The Mitre-Harris Poll survey also found broad unrest about the international race to build better technology, with 55% of respondents advocating for more technology R&D investment to stay ahead of China. 5G and telecommunications technology was a particular area of concern, with two thirds worried about the US using technology developed in China.
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
In October, the FCC prevented China Telecom from offering telecommunications services in the US amid security concerns.
Artificial intelligence (AI) was another worry, with three quarters of respondents expressing concern that the technology could be used maliciously. The FTC has previously warned companies to use AI responsibly, threatening interference if they fail to do so.
Mitre, which operates the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database on behalf of the US government, has proposed a Horizon Strategy Framework for science and technology innovation.
Danny Bradbury has been a print journalist specialising in technology since 1989 and a freelance writer since 1994. He has written for national publications on both sides of the Atlantic and has won awards for his investigative cybersecurity journalism work and his arts and culture writing.
Danny writes about many different technology issues for audiences ranging from consumers through to software developers and CIOs. He also ghostwrites articles for many C-suite business executives in the technology sector and has worked as a presenter for multiple webinars and podcasts.
-
Amazon Kindle Scribe review
Reviews Long charging times, muddled pen strokes, and screen burn haunt our review of the Kindle Scribe
-
Despite the hype, cybersecurity teams are still taking a cautious approach to using AI tools
News Research from ISC2 shows the appetite for AI tools in cybersecurity is growing, but professionals are taking a far more cautious approach than other industries.
-
The ransomware boom shows no signs of letting up – and these groups are causing the most chaos
News Thousands of ransomware cases have already been posted on the dark web this year
-
Everything we know about the Ingram Micro cyber attack so far
News A cyber attack on Ingram Micro severely disrupted operations and has been claimed by the SafePay ransomware group.
-
A prolific ransomware group says it’s shutting down and giving out free decryption keys to victims – but cyber experts warn it's not exactly a 'gesture of goodwill'
News The Hunters International ransomware group is rebranding and switching tactics
-
Swiss government data published following supply chain attack – here’s what we know about the culprits
News Radix, a non-profit organization in the health promotion sector, supplies a number of federal offices, whose data has apparently been accessed.
-
Ransomware victims are getting better at haggling with hackers
News While nearly half of companies paid a ransom to get their data back last year, victims are taking an increasingly hard line with hackers to strike fair deals.
-
LockBit data dump reveals a treasure trove of intel on the notorious hacker group
News An analysis of May's SQL database dump shows how much LockBit was really making
-
‘I take pleasure in thinking I can rid society of at least some of them’: A cyber vigilante is dumping information on notorious ransomware criminals – and security experts say police will be keeping close tabs
News An anonymous whistleblower has released large amounts of data allegedly linked to the ransomware gangs
-
It's been a bad week for ransomware operators
News A host of ransomware strains have been neutralized, servers seized, and key players indicted