When cyber security becomes a “state affair”
Cyber security is a topic that is increasingly at the center of public debate. Even the world’s leaders have taken an interest in the issue. The President of the United States of America Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin were the protagonists of a long phone call, which lasted about an hour, during which they talked aboutcyber attacks.
A cordial and relaxed conversation. “I made it clear to them ,” Biden explained , “that when a ransomware operation is triggered from their soil, even if it is not sponsored by the country, we expect them to intervene, if we provide them with information about the perpetrators.” Then the number one in the White House continued: “The United States is ready for any action necessary to defend the people and crucial infrastructure.”
But what is the crux of the matter? Just a few weeks ago, a hacker attack on the Florida software company Kaseya infected 40,000 computers , affecting about 1,000 of their customers. Sweden’s largest supermarket chain was also among the victims, forced to close about 800 stores.
According to the assumptions of some IT experts, the cyber attack would be caused by the group known as “REvil“, protagonist a month ago of a big hit, with the extortion of 11 million dollars from the meat producer JBS SA.
A technique, the one used by hackers, very similar to extortion: Ransomware. It is a computer virus that makes the files of infected computers inaccessible and they demand a ransom payment to restore them.
Joe Biden immediately intervened, suspecting that “it was the Russian government but without certainty“. Then the American president explained that he had ordered intelligence to investigate and threatening to answer if Moscow’s guilt had been ascertained.
Moscow’s response was not long in coming: “Given the scale and seriousness of the challenges in the field of cybersecurity, the interaction between Russia and the United States should be constant, professional and not politicized.”
And the US-Russia “duel” on cyber security is not the only one on the international scene. A few days ago the news of a hacker attack on the Microsoft email system that violated the system of thousands of companies, government and military accounts. “The US administration has every right to take action against anyone who attacks the United States, including China.” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki made this clarification, according to whom “there will be no differences in attitude with respect to the case involving Russia. We will not stand still – he concluded – we will not allow economic reasons or other considerations to prevent us from reacting“.
