The UK government plans to ban public sector organizations from paying ransoms to cyber criminals following ransomware attacks.

The move aims to reduce incentives for hackers and protect critical public services from disruption, Reuters reports.

Under the planned rules, public bodies would be prohibited from making ransom payments, and compliance would be enforced through audits and penalties. Private firms would need to inform the authorities if they planned to pay ransoms.

This initiative reflects growing global efforts to combat ransomware, which has increasingly targeted essential infrastructure and government institutions.