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President Biden Gathers Top Security Officials To Discuss Recent Ransomware Attack On Miami-Based Software Company

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – President Joe Biden summoned top security officials to the situation room Wednesday morning after the recent ransomware attack on a Miami-based software company.

"What's your message to Putin on cyber? Any message after your briefing on cyber from your officials?" a reporter asked him.

"I will deliver it to him," Biden responded.

The latest and single largest global attack on record targeted Kaseya in what's known as a supply-chain attack.

It affected hundreds of companies worldwide, including railways and a Swedish grocery chain.

A Russia-based cyber-hacking gang called REvil initially demanded $70 million in ransom.

So how does this keep happening?

"Very vulnerable companies can be easily identified, targeted, exploited," said Jason Crabtree, CEO of cybersecurity and risk analytics company QOMPLX. "There's a hell of a lot of money on the line for these types of criminal groups that are finding a great way and a reliable way of getting paid."

The White House said there have been ongoing high-level talks since the president's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but it is not commenting on possible retaliation.

President Biden has said the damage to U.S. businesses from the Kaseya breach is minimal.

Experts are calling for stronger disclosure laws to protect consumers.

"Ransomware is still an iceberg problem. There's a small percentage of these events that you're actually seeing reporting on, and many more go unreported," Crabtree said.

The Russian state is also denying involvement in a recent hack breaching a technology provider for the Republican National Committee.

The RNC has said that none of its data was accessed in that breach.

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