The U.K. government has launched a consultation proposing a ban on public sector organizations from making ransom payments to cybercriminals. This targeted ban aims to disrupt the financial model of ransomware attacks following a surge in incidents, including a significant breach affecting NHS patient data. Security Minister Dan Jarvis emphasized the need to protect national security, citing an estimated $1 billion flowing to ransomware criminals globally. The proposal also includes making ransom payments a criminal offense for critical infrastructure organizations and introducing mandatory reporting for cyber incidents.