Ransomware payment ban: Wrong idea at the wrong time

This opinion article argues that a blanket ban on ransomware payments is unrealistic and may backfire by incentivizing attacks on critical infrastructure, given necessary exemptions for life and safety. It highlights the challenges of global enforcement and uneven security maturity in sectors such as hospitals, schools, and local governments, referencing recent ransomware trends and limited but growing policy coordination (e.g., the Counter Ransomware Initiative). The piece recommends prioritizing preparedness and fundamental security controls—strong authentication, zero trust, segmentation, patching, and backups—over a universal payment prohibition.