The US government has made public that it will pay cryptocurrencies to cybercrime informants from abroad.

The US State Department revealed through a statement that they would be offering rewards in cryptocurrencies to informants advising of malicious cyber activity against critical US infrastructure.

The Rewards for Justice Program of the US Department of State offers a reward of at least USD 10 million for information that could grant them the identification or location of any individual who commits malicious cyber activities against US infrastructure and disrupts Computer Fraud.

The publication indicates that these irregularities may also relate to extortion threats transmissions as part of ransomware attacks. Ransomware attacks are intentional unauthorized access to a computer or exceeding authorized access, gaining access to information from any protected computer.

These attacks can be possible due to the transmission of a program, information, code, or command. As a result of such conduct, the program can intentionally be causing unauthorized damage to a protected computer.

The US government mentions protected computers, not only as of the computer systems that operate in US government and financial institutions but also those computers that serve to affect interstate or foreign commerce.

The Rewards for Justice Program clarifies that it has established a tip reporting channel on the Dark Web (based on Tor) to protect, and keep safe every potential source. And precisely, after indicating it, it specifies that reward payments can also include payments in digital currencies.

The First Time for a Crypto Reward

A spokesperson for the agency confirmed that this would be the first time since its establishment in 1984 that the Rewards for Justice program offers a reward payment in cryptocurrencies.

Forbes also states that it appears to be the first time that an entity of the federal government of the United States of America has taken such a step. The Most Wanted lists with fiat money rewards receive vigilance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). No agency has publicly offered to make payments in cryptocurrency.

Likewise, Forbes notes that for Bitcoin enthusiasts, the news is an admission by the US government claiming that decentralized cryptocurrencies are a viable means of conducting state business.

The magazine also states that the proposed amount is so high because the US Diplomatic Security Service must be aware that anyone who takes part in its Rewards for Justice program puts their life at risk.

This reason is why offering payments in cryptocurrencies appear to be practical since these payments bring more anonymity and less traceability. That goes in addition to informants making contact with the entities through an anonymous Tor channel on the Dark Web, which is not a routine government protocol.

By: Jenson Nuñez

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