US doesn’t invite Russia to ransomware summit

The more than thirty participating countries will discuss strategies to become more resilient to ransomware during the summit. Criminals use it to take corporate files hostage, after which they demand ransom in cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoins, in order to “free” those files again.

“It is important for the international community to work together to ensure that critical infrastructure can withstand malicious cyber activity and that we strengthen our collective cyber defenses,” to say a White House spokesperson.

“Tacitly tolerated”

The United States has previously had reprimanded talks with Moscow over ransomware activity and other cyber attacks originating in Russia. “The Russian government has taken action and we look forward to further action,” the spokesperson said. According to analysts, gangs are not directly controlled by the Kremlin, but are tacitly tolerated.

The summit will be held Wednesday and Thursday. Besides the United States, India, Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom are leading some of the discussions. Countries like Canada, France, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine and Israel are also represented, as is the European Union.