In the fight against cyberattacks, the US government has offered a $ 10 million reward for information about hackers based abroad.
Everyone who helps to identify and catch criminals behind so-called ransomware attacks will receive ten million dollars (8.47 million euros), as the US State Department announced on Thursday.
The US is concerned with hacker groups, which it suspects primarily in Russia.
The government also launched a website that provides guidelines for businesses, groups and individuals on how to protect themselves and respond to cyber attacks.
When attacking with ransomware, hackers lock or encrypt the computer systems of their victims in order to extort money from the users for the release of their data.
According to the findings of cybersecurity experts, many of the attackers are based in Russia or the former Soviet republics.
There have already been a number of ransomware attacks this year, affecting thousands of companies.
The attacks on a large US pipeline and, most recently, the software company Kaseya were particularly severe.
Companies paid around $ 350 million last year to get their data back, the US Department of Homeland Security said.