Biden tells US businesses to ‘harden’ defenses against Russia cyber threat

US President Joe Biden warns of intelligence pointing to a growing Russian cyber threat and urges 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 US government would “continue to use every tool to deter, disrupt, and if necessary, respond to cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.”

However, he underlined 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.