Victims of ransomware gangs are being urged to report it rather than pay the criminals behind the attacks.

The gangs use malicious software to scramble and steal an organisation's computer data and demand money to restore it.

Megan Stifel, executive director of the Global Cyber Alliance, which seeks to reduce cyber risk, told BBC World News that one problem was organisations paying the hackers rather than reporting them to the law.

She said: "If you have been the victim you can help others not become a victim by reporting the information to law enforcement as well as taking additional steps to ensure that your systems, your computer, your phone etc, are now in a better and more secure place."

A global coalition of technology companies and law enforcement bodies joined the Ransomware Task Force (RTF) and are calling for action against cyber-criminals.