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White House warns private sector to prepare for Russian cyberattacks

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President Joe Biden said Russia could launch a cyberattack against U.S. targets as retaliation for “the unprecedented economic costs we’ve imposed” on Russia through sanctions. Biden has urged U.S. companies to make sure their digital doors are locked because of “evolving intelligence” that Russia is considering launching cyberattacks against critical infrastructure targets as the war in Ukraine continues.

“I would respectfully suggest it’s a patriotic obligation for you to invest as much as you can” in technology to counter cyberattacks, Biden told members at the Business Roundtable’s quarterly meeting on Monday. “We’re prepared to help you, as I said, with any tools and expertise we possess, if you’re ready to do that. But it’s your decision as to the steps you’ll take and your responsibility to take them, not ours.”

The president said the federal government is “doing its part” to prepare for an attack and warned the private sector CEOs that it is also in the national interest that they do the same.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday said the U.S. Department of Defense has not suffered any cyberattacks, adding that U.S. officials were open with American business leaders at Monday’s meeting about the likely risk to corporations.

FROM ALL OUT WAR IN EUROPE TO CYBER WAR HERE AT HOME

THE WHITE HOUSE IS WARNING THAT RUSSIA COULD LAUNCH CYBER ATTACKS AGAINST US IN THE COMING WEEKS

“THE MAGNITUDE OF RUSSIA’S CYBER-CAPACITY IS FAIRLY CONSEQUENTIAL AND IT’S COMING” 

BUT WHAT EXACTLY ARE CYBER ATTACKS AND HOW DO THEY POSE A THREAT? LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT

CYBERATTACKS ARE MALICIOUS ATTEMPTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO A COMPUTER OR NETWORK 

THE MOTIVATION DEPENDS ON WHO’S BEHIND IT – NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, TERRORISTS, AND YOUR EVERYDAY COMPUTER HACKING HOBBYISTS HAVE DIFFERENT GOALS

THE U.S. SAYS RUSSIA’S DOING IT TO DAMAGE U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE AFTER TOUGH SANCTIONS HIT THE KREMLIN FOLLOWING THEIR INVASION OF UKRAINE

RIGHT NOW, ABOUT 85% OF AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE IS OWNED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR

AND PRESIDENT BIDEN IS CALLING ON THEM TO RAMP UP THEIR DEFENSES:

“IT’S A PATRIOTIC OBLIGATION TO INVEST AS MUCH AS YOU CAN IN MAKING SURE THAT YOU BUILD UP YOUR TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH CYBER ATTACKS”

RUSSIA DENIES THEY’RE PLANNING A CYBERATTACK – BUT THE U.S. SAYS THEY HAVE A LENGTHY TRACK RECORD OF INCIDENTS. FIND OUT ABOUT THEM IN OUR NEXT VIDEO