US Federal Agencies Launch a New Resource in the Fight Against Cybercrime

A New Joint Ransomware One-Stop Center Aggregates Federal Cybercrime Resources for Businesses 

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Cyberattacks by criminal organizations and nation-state threat actors have been making headlines as targets grow bigger and attacks more audacious. This increase in mainstream coverage has led to an increased call for the US federal government to step into the fray in order to provide US organizations with assistance in stemming the tide of ransomware. Facing public outcry and mounting international pressure, the US government has responded by pouring energy and money into efforts by federal agencies to gain control over the cybercrime landscape, especially in the case of damaging ransomware attacks. One way that the federal government has begun taking steps to address elevated risk, is by offering beleaguered businesses more support through a new One-Stop site to address ransomware risk.

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New Platforms Offer Free Resources 

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On July 14, 2021, a joint action by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched a new One-Stop website designed to help businesses reduce their ransomware risk and report suspected cybercrime to the appropriate authorities. StopRansomware.gov includes resources and content from DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Departments of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services. 

StopRansomware.gov is modeled on the format of other popular government One-Stop sites like Career One Stop. It aims to gather the necessary federal resources that businesses need to increase their defense against ransomware and learn about the legal consequences that could ensue from an attack in one place. Intended for use by organizations in myriad sectors like infrastructure, energy, food, healthcare and information technology, the site is packed with useful information. Making a One-Stop site both demonstrates the federal commitment to cybersecurity and empowers businesses to find and make use of the growing number of federal resources that are available to them.  

The site is divided into three main sections: 

Resources  

The well-populated Resources section offers access to a hefty federal cybersecurity resource library. From general checklists delineating ransomware risk to sector-specific guidance, a wealth of information is available. Content is presented in webinars, whitepapers, fact sheets and other formats. The landing page offers links to a selection of the most commonly useful tools like NIST’s Ransomware Protection and Response guide, and US Secret Service guidance for how and where to report a cyber incident. 

Newsroom & Alerts 

Agencies within the federal structure are constantly issuing releases about new cyber threats, growing risks, fraud and nation-state cybercrime. But each agency distributes information differently, making those releases hard to find. In the Newsroom, a running list of old and new departmental guidance and bulletins about cybersecurity threats is gathered together for reference, running from DOJ notices of cybercrime prosecution to CISA’s new safety videos and will continue to accrue over time. The Alerts section delivers specific cyberattack alerts from CISA, the FBI and Treasury. 

Report Ransomware 

The final section is devoted to empowering businesses that may have been victimized by ransomware to report the attack. Victims of ransomware incidents can report their incidents to the FBI, CISA or the U.S. Secret Service using links gathered together for convenience. Even if an organization successfully repelled an attack, the federal government makes it clear here that they want to know about it. CISA launched a companion platform that enables ethical hackers to report bugs in June.  

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Strong Protection Doesn’t Mean Buying Multiple Solutions 

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Securing systems and data against cybercrime can be tricky as you attempt to wade through a mass of solutions to find the right tools to secure your entry points. But you don’t need to research and buy multiple solutions for secure identity and access management. One useful tool provides businesses with big protection against cybercrime like this at a small price: Passly.  

Among the many useful features in this dynamic secure identity and access management solution is multifactor authentication (MFA), a must-have according to the agencies involved in this effort. Microsoft agrees, noting that MFA alone can stop 99% of password-based cybercrime in its tracks. MFA with Passly offers a variety of options for the delivery of identity confirmation tokens and codes, meeting your business wherever it is right now.  

Passly’s protection from password-powered intrusions doesn’t stop with MFA. You’ll also strengthen your defense with single sign-on, simple remote management and other tools that enable IT teams to act fast to stop intrusions and mitigate damage un the event of a cybersecurity incident. Don’t wait until you’re caught in a cybercrime mire – contact the solutions experts at ID Agent today for a personalized demonstration of Passly and the other tools in our digital risk protection platform.  

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