Law enforcement agencies across the world advise companies that are victims of ransomware attacks not to pay the ransom. Aside from the risk of criminals taking the money and running, paying encouraging further attacks and potentially could be illegal depending on where the money is being sent.

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently warned against making ransomware payments at the risk of violating economic sanctions imposed by the government against cybercriminal groups or state-sponsored hackers.