Biden tells businesses to crank up cyber defenses against Russia

President Joe Biden is warning of intelligence pointing to a growing Russian cyber threat and he urged US businesses to “immediately” prepare defenses.

“If you have not already done so, I urge our private sector partners to harden your cyber defenses immediately,” he says in a statement.

Biden cites “evolving intelligence that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks,” including in response to Western sanctions over Moscow’s launching of the war in Ukraine.

“It’s part of Russia’s playbook,” he says.

Biden says the government will “continue to use every tool to deter, disrupt, and if necessary, respond to cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.”

However, he underlines that most critical infrastructure in the country is owned and operated by private entities, which cannot be compelled to take specific cyber security measures.

“Owners and operators must accelerate efforts to lock their digital doors,” he says. “You have the power, the capacity, and the responsibility to strengthen the cybersecurity and resilience of the critical services and technologies on which Americans rely. We need everyone to do their part.”