Don't pay ransom to hackers, firms told

BOSTON: If your business falls victim to ransomware and you want simple advice on whether to pay the criminals, don't expect much help from the US government. The answer is apt to be: It depends.

"It is the position of the US government that we strongly discourage the payment of ransoms," Eric Goldstein, a top cybersecurity official in the Department of Homeland Security, told a congressional hearing last week.