Biden Raises Ransomware Topic During Putin Phone Call (therecord.media) 51
Following a series of impactful ransomware attacks that hit companies like Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods America, and Kaseya, causing widespread havoc across the US, President Joe Biden raised the topic of ransomware attacks carried out by gangs of Russian criminals during a phone call today with Russian President Vladimir Putin. From a report: "The President [...] underscored the need for President Putin to take action to disrupt these ransomware groups," Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, said today during the daily White House press briefing. "REvil operates in Russia and other countries around the world, and we do not have new information suggesting the Russian government directed these attacks [...] but we also believe they have a responsability to take action. The President made clear the United States will take any necessary action to defend its people and critical infrastructure," Psaki said.
Conversation (Score:5, Funny)
Putin: Hello?
Biden: Hello. Yes, I wanted to talk to you about ransomware. I transferred over 50,000,000 bitcoin to your account, can you allow me access to my email again? Thanks.
Re: Conversation (Score:5, Informative)
Re: Conversation (Score:2)
Did he really say that? Straight out of something from that british tv series âoeYes Minister.â
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Well tell that to Biden, he's the one who said it.
Yes, but the big question is (Score:5, Funny)
did Biden dramatically whisper the request to Putin?
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How do you say LMAO... (Score:2)
in Russian?
No soul (Score:3)
Joe Biden should probably regret saying Vladimir Putin has no soul [theguardian.com]. That does not help asking him for help now.
Re:No soul (Score:4, Insightful)
I honestly doubt it. These aren't the type of people you can ingratiate yourself to by playing dumb. If anything, the chuckle Putin got from that one might have actually worked in Biden's favor, from a diplomatic standpoint. Keep in mind this person, Putin, is not someone interested in peaceful coexistence, and any attempts at such will just be seen as a sign of weakness.
Re:No soul (Score:5, Funny)
These people do enjoy a joke more than anything. Apropos a very old Soviet times anecdote.
A group of guys on a business trip are staying in one hotel room (way back then private accomodations were not a thing). It's getting late, so naturally they are drinking and the conversation moves on to telling jokes, and then - "political" jokes (the kind that could get one in trouble).
So, one guy decides to play a practical joke. He goes down to the reception and asks the receptionist to bring a bottle of cognac up to the room in a few min.
As he returns, he tells everyone that they are being listened to that very moment by the KGB. The rest of the company don't trust him (go figure). So, he walks up to one of the electric outlets, and speaks into it: "Comrade colonel, would you please send the comrades here a bottle of cognac?". Sure enough, right about that time the lady from the reception arrives with the bottle.
The rest of the company quickly quiets down and goes off to sleep, and so does this guy. In the morning he wakes up to find himself in the room alone. He walks down to the reception to ask what happened. The receptionist replies that everyone was, indeed, taken away by the KGB.
Dumbfounded, the guy inquires: Why wasn't I arrested, then?
The receptionist says: because comrade colonel really liked your joke.
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Boo-hoo :)
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Thanks, unlike the humor-challanged, I liked your joke.
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The disconnect for me is that there were a group of guys on a business trip in the Soviet Union and that you could go down to the front desk and ask for a bottle of Cognac to be sent up.
And that's without getting too hung up on Cognac as an unobtainium French imported liquor and not just a generic phrasing for a distilled wine product.
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- Business trips were quite common (technical staff, supply chain specialists and such). In that sense of the word "business" :) )
- Cognac in USSR was quite common but locally produced (Armenian, look it up). I suppose French would object to the nomenclature, but that's what it was (and still is, in fact I believe Russia just made up a rule to prohibit the French manufacturers using this term in Russia, out of the usual spite
- There were hotels and they had reception, which was quite willing to supply alcoh
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Re: No soul (Score:4, Insightful)
Um, not necessarily. You can still realize that Biden is a demented twit, and at the same time understand that Trump was an asshole.
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You really think Putin didn't already know that?
Re: No soul (Score:2)
The way these politicians sound off is funny; as if the target of their humour will forgive or forget.
Kamala Harris is on record dismissing her older statements: âoeIt was a debate!â
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Pointless (Score:2)
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Re: Does this means (Score:3, Insightful)
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Well played.
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What? No, of course not. It's grandstanding and pretending to be the big man who is in control. We won't even do what we usually do and spank them about for a bit.
This is Russia. They could shoot back, you know? We don't shoot people who have guns too. That could hurt.
Maybe if the CIA+NSA responsibly disclosed... (Score:5, Insightful)
... vulnerabilities instead of keeping them secret to weaponise we wouldn't be in half the mess we are.
I am sick and tired of those shitbirds thinking there's such things as backdoors for 'goodguys' only. My workload has at least doubled since one of their employees took the cyberweapons home and they got leaked onto the internet.
There's literally no employees left in our consultancy that wants to be doing this work any more, and it's gotten to the point that Insurance companies are jacking up the cost for us to have cyberinsurance (almost 100% increase over last year) whilst simultaneously sucking up a LOT of our time jumping through hoops before they will.
IT security and compliance work is now an impossible job because of the shitbirds making policy decisions that affect everyone.
Re:Maybe if the CIA+NSA responsibly disclosed... (Score:4, Insightful)
Look at the bright side, it's total job security for the foreseeable time. Because, well, what part of IT do you think they'll not outsource to India or Pakistan, hmm?
carried out by gangs of Russian criminals (Score:2, Informative)
so goes the accusation. Where's the proof? You know, evidence?
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Nobody has to prove anything to you, especially an AC. Nice try Ivan.
World police (Score:3)
Translation: Our 'world police' powers don't work in Russia so you have to punish the people we don't like.
Of course we want police to catch criminals across international borders but as this case demonstrates, it's mostly about the USA saving the USA.
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Hey! Hold it right there, we only want the world police to catch criminals in other countries. We still get to protect our own criminals that commit crimes that we approve of.
Mostly war crimes, but let's not nitpick here.
"I'll have more leeway after the election..." (Score:1)
Raise the topic with Microsoft (Score:2)
"If you're dumb enough to pay it, that's not my fa (Score:1)
I can imagine Putin saying "If you're dumb enough to pay it, that's not my fault."
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Then Putin spins around to access his computer. Work/America/Biden/Notes/2021Jul - open.
Gobledy gook! Message pops up - Please pay us 100 bitcoin. We'll give you the decrypt key.
Putin - NO!
Oh yes (Score:2)
The President made clear the United States will take any necessary action to defend its people and critical infrastructure," Psaki said.
I'm sure Putin is quaking in his boots.
Has there been any anti-Russian sentiment? (Score:2)
Obviously there was an increase in hatred of Asians due to the coronavirus. Curious to know if this ransomware situation has increased backlash against Russian people.
Will but haven't (Score:2)
The President made clear the United States will take any necessary action to defend its people and critical infrastructure
Why haven't they already then?
Haha. Or else what? (Score:2)
Right. What is Biden threatening to do? The same thing we did when Putin invaded Crimea? Ukraine? Georgia? Turned off gas to Ukraine? Syria?
There is nothing Biden can do, or more exactly will do, other than mumble warnings. In addition, the Europeans won't go along with anything that Biden might propose, because they like making money off of Russia.
Now if he actually did something, like tried to cut Russia off the internet, that would be something. Don't bank on it.
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With attacks on our own infrastructure, we might. Rendition one Russian crime boss for prosecution, we send a very clear message. That would be one possible option.