Banks reported paying a record $1.2 billion to ransomware criminals in 2021, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced Tuesday.

Ransomware attacks occur when criminals gain access to a computer network and electronically lock it until a “ransom” is paid. The software they use is often sold among criminals via the dark web. They usually demand payment in cryptocurrency.

Adrianne Appel writes regulatory news, policy, and trends for Compliance Week. She previously reported about policy developments for Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Government. Email: adrianne.appel@complianceweek.com LinkedIn:...