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WASHINGTON (AP) — In the midst of an epidemic of ransomware attacks, the United States has left out a key player, Russia, as it sat down with 30 countries this week to discuss its cybersecurity strategy.
The country, unwittingly home to many of the criminal organizations behind ransomware attacks, was not invited to a two-day meeting to begin Wednesday to develop new strategies to counter the threat.
A senior administration official said the virtual discussions will in part focus on efforts to disrupt and prosecute ransomware networks, such as the one that attacked a major US pipeline company in May. The attack on the Colonial Pipeline, which led to gas shortages along the East Coast, was attributed to a Russia-based cybercriminal gang.
The exclusion of a country so closely tied to the global ransomware phenomenon reflects generally weak relations between Moscow and Washington.
Despite this, the official, who said the United States is using a “private channel” to discuss cybersecurity with Russia, briefed reporters on the anonymity requirement to preview the upcoming meeting with nearly 30 countries and the European Union this week.
He said there have been “candid discussions” about cybercriminals operating within Russia’s borders since President Biden raised the issue directly with President Vladimir Putin at a summit this summer and later in a phone call.
“We got a few and they continue and we share information about specific criminal actors within Russia and Russia has taken the first steps,” the official said.
It is unclear what steps the Putin government has taken. Russia does not extradite its own citizens, and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said at a security forum last month that he “sees no indication that the Russian government is taking action to crack down on ransomware actors operating in the permitted environment.” I created it there.”
The issue was expected to come up in Moscow this week. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Victoria Nuland met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to meet.
The Biden administration took office during a massive cyber-espionage campaign known as the SolarWinds attack, which US officials linked to Russian intelligence agents. Ransomware attacks, often carried out by criminal hacker gangs rather than state-sponsored groups, have damaged businesses and institutions by tens of billions of dollars and have become a major source of tension between the two countries.
According to the US government, ransomware payments exceeded $400 million globally in 2020 and exceeded $81 million in the first quarter of 2021.
Measures taken by the Biden administration include imposing sanctions on a Russia-based virtual currency brokerage that officials say is helping at least eight ransomware gangs help launder money, and issuing security directives requiring pipeline companies to improve their cyber defenses.
Most of this week’s ransomware meeting is expected to be private as attendees attend sessions moderated by India, Australia, the UK, and Germany, and focus on themes such as improving resilience to ransomware attacks.
Other participants include Israel, United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Dominican Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Kenya.
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