US offers up to $10 million reward for information on cyberattacks on US critical infrastructure, can use dark web to report

The U.S. government is offering up to $10 million in funding for information that identifies or locates malicious cyber actors who target U.S. critical infrastructure on behalf of foreign governments, the State Department announced Thursday.

It's part of a U.S. government-wide effort to try to stop recent cyber attacks that have crippled businesses and other critical infrastructure. This year alone, hundreds of businesses that rely on one software vendor, a major East Coast pipeline, a major meat producer and ferry service on Cape Cod have been victims of ransomware attacks.

The State Department's Rewards for Justice program is offering large rewards while warning that such cyber activity against infrastructure violates the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).

"Commensurate with the seriousness with which we view these cyber threats," the State Department program has established a dark web (Tor-based) channel for potential sources to report tips in a safe and secure manner.

The program is also working with interagency partners to quickly process information, possibly redirect sources, and pay rewards, including rewards in cryptocurrency.

In a call with reporters Wednesday evening, a senior administration official said the Biden administration has also launched a task force to track the government's numerous efforts to combat ransomware on a weekly basis.

As part of the effort, the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security are announcing "stopransomware.gov," which they see as a centralized resource on ransomware for businesses to learn how to protect themselves.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told CNN's John Berman on Thursday that the federal government's website is a "one-stop" information platform for guidance on "how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of ransomware and how to work with the federal government to resolve these situations if you become a victim."

"One of the biggest threats we face in the cyber space is ransomware, where cybercriminals hold people, families, small businesses, medium and large businesses hostage, hold their systems hostage until they pay a ransom, which of course we recommend they don't," he added.

The U.S. government is offering a dark web at
http://he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion
Like the news media blast platform, it is also built using SecureDrop.

The U.S. government-provided clearnet reporting URL is
https://ransomware.ic3.gov/default.aspx
https://us-cert.cisa.gov/forms/report