Petition · past parliament

Make the payment of ransom demands illegal in ransomware cyber attacks

Closed 154 signatures

What the petition asks

We want the Government to prohibit companies and individuals being able to pay ransom demands to cyber attackers who use ransomware malware. The prohibition of ransom payments would cut the flow of income to attackers and shut down the desire to hit U.K. citizens and companies with ransomware.
Prohibition of ransom payments for ransomware could mean there was very little point in cyber attackers going after U.K. companies and citizens with this strain of malware.

Timeline

31 Jul 2020 Petition opened for signatures
31 Jan 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 154
Status Closed
Opened 31 Jul 2020
Closed 31 Jan 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.