Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has said that dealing with ransomware will be a top priority for national security.

A ransomware attack is when cybercriminals encrypt data or systems, preventing access to them, usually followed by a ransom demand in exchange for access.

Ransomware is a popular attack method among both cybercriminal gangs and in organised state sponsored cyberattacks.

The news comes after cybercriminals gained entry to the systems of a water treatment facility in Florida and altered the chemical levels of the water, which Mayorkas said “was a powerful reminder of the substantial risks we need to address."

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a division of the DHS, has been under pressure given the demands of the 2020 presidential election, the aftermath of the SolarWinds cyberattack, and the new zero-day exploits recently uncovered in Microsoft Exchange servers.

Mayorkas said the DHS is drafting a proposal to establish a cybersecurity response and recovery fund to assist state and regional governments.

CISA's leadership has also asked Congress to provide more funding for the organisation to help shore up cyber defences.

In addition, Mayorkas hinted that his organisation would not just go after cybercriminals, but also the marketplaces “that enable them.”

Would-be hackers can buy “do-it-your-self” ransomware kits on DarkNet markets, accessed with software such as the Tor browser, for as little as $70 according to cybersecurity researcher PrivacyAffairs.

Mayorkas said that a coming executive order on cybersecurity will contain steps intended to "improve in the areas of detection, information sharing, modernizing federal cybersecurity, federal procurement and federal incident response."

In February, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned UK organisations of rising cases of ransomware attacks.

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