Let’s listen to Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger explain that whether or not Colonial Pipeline pays ransom to these attackers is a “private sector decision” when a reporter asks what they are going to do about it and what’s the timeline for this problem being addressed. //

Now, there are a lot of things to consider in such an attack, but when it’s a pipeline that is so critical to our infrastructure you don’t just fluff it off as if it really doesn’t matter, as though we don’t really give a darn or the impact isn’t significant to the country. They didn’t give the company any input or express an opinion? This is a national security issue and a serious federal crime. If you encourage the payment of ransom, you encourage similar attacks.