The Justice Department will elevate ransomware investigations to a similar level of priority as terrorism in an effort to defeat cybercriminals posing a threat to the nation. This comes following several recent cyberattacks that crippled infrastructure and paralyzed crucial industries in the United States. In one of those attacks, a cyber criminal group perpetrated a ransomware hack against the Colonial Pipeline, which halted fuel operations resulting in gas shortages across several states. The department said they have recently created task force in Washington that will coordinate all ransomware investigations currently handled by U.S. attorney’s offices across the nation. “It’s a specialized process to ensure we track all ransomware cases regardless of where it may be referred in this country, so you can make the connections between actors and work your way up to disrupt the whole chain,” John Carlin, principle associate deputy attorney general at the department, told Reuters. Reuters, who reviewed …