Biden takes Putin to his chest
The summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin also dealt with the topics of ransomware and cyberattacks. Biden showed a clear edge.
What exactly the heads of state of the USA and Russia, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, discussed at their summit on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland, is not known. However, they subsequently revealed some details from the talks at the respective press conferences. Biden said that he had specifically addressed Putin on the subject of ransomware. Putin, in turn, disagreed with the allegation that his country hosted ransomware organizations – but did not respond to questions from press representatives on the subject of cyberattacks.
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Ransomware attack against pipeline operators
Biden said he gave Putin a list of 16 special sectors such as chemicals, dams, IT and healthcare that are considered critical infrastructures. All have been affected by dozens of ransomware attacks in the past three years, writes the tech platform ZD-Net. Biden is said to have given Putin to understand what the US had to go through. In particular, the focus was on the ransomware attack against the pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline.
Biden asked Putin how he would feel if ransomware put the pipelines in his oil fields out of service. Subsequently, the US president is said to have told his Russian counterparts that the US also had considerable cyber capabilities. Previously, some G7 countries and NATO had also warned Russia that the country must get such organizations under control within its borders.
Russia sees itself as a victim in cyber attacks
Russian President Putin, in turn, confirmed that his country was in talks with the US in this area. The whole thing is “extremely important”. Putin, however, sees the US as the aggressor who has to explain his actions, not Russia, like The Register reported. At the press conference after the summit, Putin mentioned an unspecified study from the United States, according to which the United States itself is the biggest perpetrator of cyber attacks. Russia is not on the list, Putin said.
Ransom money retrieved: FBI gains access to the blackmailer’s Bitcoin wallet
In 2020, Russia complained a total of 45 times in Washington about cyberattacks originating from the USA – but it is only suspected of being attacked by US organizations in ten. In the first half of the year alone, Russia submitted another 35 complaints, but so far not a single one has been answered. And: Russia cannot be held responsible for the fact that Colonial Pipeline has paid millions.
Observers rate summits as positive
Observers rated the talks between Biden and Putin as good overall, especially when it comes to agreeing further talks on arms control. After the end of Donald Trump’s term in office, there was a kind of return to diplomatic normalcy, as CDU politician Norbert Röttgen the WDR said. And: Biden had openly addressed grievances such as the Ukraine conflict and the case of the Russian opposition politician Navalny.
