A joint statement by the United States Mission to the United Nations was released in November 2024, calling for countries to take action against ransomware attacks in the healthcare sector.
On November 8, 2024, a joint statement was delivered by U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger on behalf of multiple countries and organizations, including Albania, Argentina, Australia, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many others. The statement expressed deep concern about the rising frequency, scale, and severity of ransomware attacks against infrastructure, especially healthcare facilities like hospitals.
The statement discussed the urgent need for international cooperation to strengthen cybersecurity and resilience within healthcare systems. It also provided for the importance of upholding international law and norms in cyberspace especially the expectation that states should not allow their territories to be used for collective action to confront the ransomware threat and pursue perpetrators.
The Joint Statement provides, “Together with the international community, we will continue our work to uphold the international framework of responsible State behavior in cyberspace and address the ransomware threat comprehensively by pursuing ransomware actors, targeting the malicious software they use and its dissemination, countering the illicit finance that supports their activities, securing critical infrastructure, providing technical assistance, and, as appropriate, coordinating among nations.”
The statement reminds countries of their responsibility to prevent ransomware groups from operating within their borders and to help other nations stop these attacks when requested, it also sets expectations for holding countries accountable if they allow harmful activities. This serves as a call to action for the threat of ransomware attacks threat against public safety. Uniting countries under a shared goal allows for global solidarity and strengthens the fight against cybercrime.
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Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access.
International law is a set of rules and agreements that guide how countries interact with each other.
They are targeted because they handle valuable data in a sector that provides critical services.