[schelling42]

No. Not with profit margins that high compared to operational cost, it would not be an effective deterrent. They will just continue to hit as many targets as possible. You would end up punishing the victims. What if they target some really critical infrastructure, where it would be rational to just pay and then fix the holes? Seek exemptions from law for each?

But it would be very interesting to see if the ransomware gangs can devise a scheme that gives the payer plausible deniability.