Biden tells Putin Russia must crack down on cybercriminals

WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House says President Joe Biden told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that he must “take action” against cybercriminals acting in his country and that the U.S. reserves the right to “defend its people and its critical infrastructure."

The conversation Friday came less than a month after the two leaders met in Geneva, when Biden warned against continuing cyberattacks emanating from Russia.

A new ransomware attack linked to the REvil hacking group based in Russia caused widespread disruption last weekend. Friday’s call underscored the extent to which the ransomware threat from criminal hacker gangs has mushroomed into an urgent national security challenge for the White House.