Rewards for Justice

2021: Pay rewards for information about ransomware

In mid-July 2021, the US government created a department to combat ransomware viruses and offers $10 million for information about individuals participating in foreign-sanctioned malicious cyber activity against critical US infrastructure, including ransomware virus attacks.

The government also launched the stopransomware.gov website, which offers public resources to counter threats and increase the resilience of networks, a senior administration official told reporters. The US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Network has also joined the new program and will work with banks, technology companies and other market players to improve anti-money laundering measures in cryptocurrency and faster track the revenue from ransomware viruses that are paid in virtual currency.

The American government has formed a department to combat ransomware viruses and offers $10 million for data on their distributors

The rewards for whistleblowers will be paid under the State Department's Rewards for Justice program. The statement says that to protect information sources, a mechanism will be used to transmit hints in the darknet, and fees can be paid in cryptocurrency.

The administration spokesman did not comment on whether the US government was involved in the disappearance from the online space of the REvil hacker group, which caused damage to more than 1000 organizations around the world. Ransomware viruses of this group encrypt entire data networks, and criminals remove the lock after receiving payments. Cybersecurity experts say REvil may have decided to hide sight and rebrand under a new name, as other hacker groups have done in the past. This will prevent law enforcement agencies from localizing^[1] criminals]

2020: SMS-newsletter to Russians about remuneration for data on election interference

In August 2020, the US Department of State began sending SMS messages to Russians about the remuneration of $10 million for data on election interference. The newsletter is carried out as part of the Rewards for Justice program.

The US will reward those who will help us in the fight against interference in US elections. If you have information about operations aimed at the US election, you can claim a reward of up to $10 million, the text says.

The State Department began to send Russians SMS about the remuneration of $10 million for data on election interference

As explained in the State Department, the newsletter "was aimed at raising awareness at the international level," it is carried out as part of a "worldwide campaign in several languages."

The US Embassy in Moscow said that the United States will not tolerate foreign interference in the electoral process and will respond to threats from abroad that target the country's democratic institutions. The US government is ready to give a tough answer to such challenges in order to protect the upcoming elections, the diplomatic mission said.

The official representative MFA Russia Maria Zakharova called the SMS newsletter of the State Department "a real hybrid attack."

Calling for  money to talk  about interference  in the US election, the US intelligence services unceremoniously interfere  in our lives, "she wrote on Facebook.

On August 5, 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo  announced  the start of this program. He promised that Washington would pay the amount for information about people interfering in the elections. Pompeo mentioned that the program applies to both Russia and other malicious actors.

On the State Department website, Pompeo's proposal for payments for assistance to the American authorities was somewhat specified. So, according to the document, the United States is looking for cybercriminals or hackers who want to attack the country's electoral infrastructure.^[2]

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