BITING BACK

Biden to Putin: I’ll Take ‘Any Necessary Action’ After Ransomware Attacks

The two leaders spoke by phone on Friday after a cyberattack that impacted over 1,500 companies.

President Joe Biden spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday and promised some level of retaliation for ransomware attacks that allegedly originated out of Russia, according to a White House statement on the call. Biden told Putin that the U.S. will respond with “any necessary action,” and urged Russia to respond to ransomware groups forming within the country. Russian-based group REvil claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that impacted over 1,500 companies across the U.S., Europe, and Asia—the largest cyberattack to date. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said there was no evidence that the Kremlin directed the attack, but Russia has a responsibility to quell ransomware groups in the country.

Ransomware attacks have rapidly increased in the last two years, with attacks on the Republican National Committee, gas company Colonial Pipeline, and software developer Kaseya being among the most prominent.