Security News > 2021 > July > Wanted: State-backed bandits planning cyberattacks on US infrastructure. Reward: $10m

The US is offering a $10m reward to anyone who dobs in digital outlaws responsible for foreign government-backed cyberattacks on critical national infrastructure such as pipelines, power grids, and communication networks.

The cash incentive is part of the US State Department's Rewards for Justice programme and the ongoing war on cybercrime that has in recent months crippled fuel pipelines and meat production.

Last month, President Joe Biden and Russia's Vladimir Putin spent some of their time during a summit in Switzerland discussing cybersecurity and the threats posed to critical national infrastructure including energy and water.

Putin agreed before mentioning an unnamed US-based source that said America is the world's leading source of cyberattacks.

This latest exchange of words underlines the importance of cybercrime to national security with the State Department's latest reward providing another insight into what keeps officials in Washington awake at night.

To ensure anonymity, the State Department has set up a Dark Web tip-reporting channel to protect the safety and security of potential sources.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/07/16/us_10m_reward_cybercrime/