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On Friday, a cyberattack in which security experts said could be the largest attack in history using ransomware, in which hackers shut down systems until a ransom is paid, took over or affected between 800 and 1,500 businesses worldwide.

“This is the worst ransomware incident to date, but the worst is yet to come if we don’t act,” said Kyle Hanslovan, CEO of cybersecurity firm Huntress Labs.

Hackers have taken over Kaseya, a Miami-based software maker that provides technology services to tens of thousands of organizations worldwide. Most of their clients are managed service providers that provide security and technical support to other companies, which collectively reach millions of businesses.

“It totally sucks,” said Fred Voccola, Kaseya’s CEO. video posted on youtube It caters to the company’s clients early Tuesday. “I’d be very, very disappointed if I were you, and you should be too.”

He said Kaseya is working with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the White House to resolve the issue.

Mr Voccola said about 50 of Kaseya’s direct customers, including dozens of managed service providers, were compromised when breached.

A Russia-based cybercriminal organization known as REvil claimed responsibility for the attack on Sunday and bragged about it on the dark web on its “Happy Blog”. Huntress Labs said some victims were asked to pay a $5 million ransom.

Brett Callow, a threat analyst for cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, said REvil also wants $45,000 in cryptocurrency for every computer system a victim wants restored.

REvil also said that if $70 million is paid out in Bitcoin, it will release a tool that will allow all infected companies to recover their data.

“If you are interested in such a deal, contact us,” the group wrote, adding that it provides a way for victims to contact the organization.

Krebs Stamos Group security researcher Jack Cable Said he got to REvil weekend and the group said it was willing to negotiate. He said he offered to lower the price of the vehicle to $50 million in Bitcoin.

“We advise against companies that don’t pay ransomware, given that it encourages bad actors to repeat this behavior,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Ms. Psaki said that American national security officials were in contact with Russian government officials regarding the attack. When President Biden met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva last month, Asks Russia to rein in ransomware attackswhich has become more and more common in recent months. FBI says REvil is behind world’s biggest hack meat processor, JBS, in May.

“If the Russian government cannot or does not take action against criminal actors residing in Russia, we will act on our own or reserve the right to take action,” Ms Psaki said.

Kaseya cyber attack had cascading effects around the worldtouches companies in more than a dozen countries, including the United States, Germany, Australia, and Brazil. In Sweden, grocery retailer Coop had to close more than 800 stores on Saturday, and each location had to be visited to fix the problems caused by the hack. The Swedish rail and pharmacy chain were also affected, security researchers said.

Mr Voccola said such an attack should have happened.

“Even the best defenses in the world score goals,” he said.

A common refrain he heard from government officials and security experts was that when it comes to cyberattacks, “it’s not whether it happens, it’s when”