{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://comer.house.gov/2021/10/comer-seeks-answers-on-fbi-s-handling-of-widespread-ransomware-attack", "Comer Seeks Answers on FBI's Handling of Widespread Ransomware Attack", "2021-10-01", "2021", "2021-10", "Republican", "House", "KY", "James Comer", "C001108", "comer.house.gov", "comer", "https://comer.house.gov/media", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. (September 29, 2021)\u2014 Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray requesting a briefing on the FBI\u2019s three-week delay in aiding hundreds of businesses and institutions that were successfully targeted by a major ransomware attack this past summer. Cyber-attacks, including ransomware attacks, have become more severe and the lawmakers are requesting information to understand the rationale behind the FBI\u2019s decision to withhold critical assistance as the FBI sought to disrupt the attack.\n\n\u201cEarlier this summer, a Florida-based software company was the victim of a ransomware attack that compromised between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world. Although the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly obtained a digital decryptor key that could have unlocked affected systems, it withheld this tool for nearly three weeks as it worked to disrupt the attack, potentially costing the ransomware victims\u2014including schools and hospitals\u2014millions of dollars,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cThe growing threat of ransomware attacks requires our federal government agencies\u2014especially the FBI\u2014to respond quickly and effectively to prevent or minimize the damage from these attacks. Public reporting raises questions about the FBI\u2019s response to this summer\u2019s ransomware attack. The FBI has stated that it withheld the ransomware key it had previously acquired so the Bureau could engage in an operation to disrupt the Russian-based hackers without tipping them off. During this delay, many businesses, schools, and hospitals suffered lost time and money, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis. \u2026 Ransomware hackers have shown their willingness and ability to inflict damage on various sectors of the U.S. economy. Congress must be fully informed whether the FBI\u2019s strategy and actions are adequately and appropriately addressing this damaging trend,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nTo understand the FBI\u2019s decision, the lawmakers are requesting a briefing from the FBI on its legal and policy rationale for withholding the ransomware key, as well as the FBI\u2019s overall strategy for addressing, investigating, preventing, and defeating ransomware attacks.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:24:51Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://comer.house.gov/2021/10/comer-seeks-answers-on-fbi-s-handling-of-widespread-ransomware-attack"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6149613074958324, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}