Today, US President Joe Biden announced that the US will bring together 30 countries to cooperate combat ransomware gangs responsible for a wave of attacks affecting businesses around the world.
“This month, the United States will bring together 30 countries to accelerate our cooperation in combatting cybercrime, improving law enforcement collaboration, stemming the illicit use of cryptocurrency, and engaging on these issues diplomatically,” President Biden said today.
“We are also partnering closely with nations around the world on these shared threats, including our NATO allies and G7 partners.
“I am committed to strengthening our cybersecurity by hardening our critical infrastructure against cyberattacks, disrupting ransomware networks, working to establish and promote clear rules of the road for all nations in cyberspace, and making clear we will hold accountable those that threaten our security.”
The fight against the ransomware threat is still going on
Recent attacks, such as ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and Kaseya in the United States, have shown serious vulnerabilities in vital infrastructure around the world, prompting this disclosure.
President Biden recently signed an executive order to strengthen the nation’s critical infrastructure cybersecurity by establishing baseline performance targets for critical infrastructure owners and operators.
Following the ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and JBS, Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger urged US firms to take ransomware seriously in the same month.
If “the Russian government cannot or will not,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki added, the US will take action against ransomware gangs operating within Russia’s borders.
According to Kommersant, Moscow and Washington have been able to restart collaboration in a number of sectors since then, with several hits on the Evil Corp., TrickBot, and REvil gangs as a direct result.
Cybercrime is being combated by a coalition
After G7 leaders pushed Russia to disrupt Russian-based ransomware groups, Interpol urged business partners and police agencies throughout the world to work together to combat the ransomware outbreak in July.
“Cyber threats can affect every American, every business regardless of size, and every community. That’s why my administration is marshalling a whole-of-nation effort to confront cyber threats,” President Biden added today.
“We are building a coalition of nations to advocate for and invest in trusted 5G technology and to better secure our supply chains.”
“And, we are bringing the full strength of our capabilities to disrupt malicious cyber activity, including managing both the risks and opportunities of emerging technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence.”
