Hacker attacks, which in the United States are considered as a serious threat to the national economy, have remained as frequent in the past six months, despite the best efforts of American authorities to combat ransomware. The FBI linked such results to the rise in the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

According to the government agency, the increase in the value of digital assets has helped to strengthen the networks of cybercriminals. “The frequency of reports of ransomware attacks has not decreased over the past six months. We attribute this to the simple fact that these attacks are incredibly profitable for criminals. This is partly due to the cost of virtual currency, but it can also be explained by the vulnerability of our systems and infrastructure,” said FBI Assistant Director of Cyber Department, Bryan Vorndran, speaking to the House Oversight and Reform Committee.