Australia is considering a ban on cyber ransom payments, but it could backfire. Here's another idea

  • Written by: Jeffrey Foster, Associate Professor in Cyber Security Studies, Macquarie University
Australia is considering a ban on cyber ransom payments, but it could backfire. Here's another ideaShutterstock

First Optus, now Medibank; in less than two months we’ve experienced two of the largest personal data breaches in Australia’s history. In both cases the hackers attempted, and failed, to extort a ransom in exchange for not releasing personal data.

So far the Optus hackers have released only a small sample of data, and claim...

Read more: Australia is considering a ban on cyber ransom payments, but it could backfire. Here's another idea