The Biden administration is taking steps to counter the growing threat of cyberattacks on U.S. businesses, and encouraging companies to do more to pro

F.B.I. Director Compares Danger of Ransomware to 9/11 Terror Threat

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2021-06-05 03:30:03

The Biden administration is taking steps to counter the growing threat of cyberattacks on U.S. businesses, and encouraging companies to do more to protect themselves.

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is sounding increasingly urgent alarms about high-profile ransomware attacks that have caused widespread gas shortages, shut meat processing plants and paralyzed hospitals, as officials step up efforts to counter cyberthreats.

Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Friday that the ransomware threat was comparable to the challenge of global terrorism in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001 attack.

“There are a lot of parallels, there’s a lot of importance, and a lot of focus by us on disruption and prevention,” Mr. Wray said. “There’s a shared responsibility, not just across government agencies but across the private sector and even the average American.”

The F.B.I., Mr. Wray said, is investigating 100 different software variants that have been used in various ransomware attacks, demonstrating the scale of the problem.