Victims of cyberattacks, soon to be covered by their insurance?

William Molinié, edited by Romain Rouillard 06:15, September 08, 2022

It is an article, which went relatively unnoticed, which arouses concern.

A provision of the orientation and programming bill of the Ministry of the Interior provides for the possibility for victims of cyberattacks to receive compensation, provided they file a complaint 48 hours after payment of the ransom.

A radical change of doctrine in the matter. 

Especially since today, any cyber-investigator gives instructions not to pay the ransom.

Firstly because the victims have no guarantee of finding their data and secondly, nothing says that the hacker will not come back next week on a computer that he now knows by heart. 

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Even if, in fact, some victims agree to pay the ransom to unlock their system more quickly, government guidelines are firm on the issue: do not give a single penny to hackers in order not to feed a form of traffic of ransoms. 

Insurance companies may be reluctant 

Hence the astonishment of several specialized investigators at the discovery of this new provision in the bill.

Some regret not having been associated with the reflection.

“No insurance covers the risks of sequestration or kidnapping in real life. Why would we do this in the cyber field?” Asks one of them. 

Insurance companies themselves may be reluctant to cover ransomware cyberattacks.

"They would lose millions given the astronomical sums of certain ransoms requested", decrypts a specialist in the sector.

Consequently, what, at first glance, could be common sense, risks ultimately inducing a feeling of impunity in the hacker who will be certain of being paid since his victim can then turn to his insurance.