WASHINGTON: The White House will host officials from 37 countries and 13 global companies in Washington this week to address the growing threat of ransomware and other cyber crime, including the illicit use of cryptocurrencies, a senior US official said.

The in-person meeting follows last year’s virtual inaugural meeting of the informal Counter-Ransomware Initiative, adding seven more countries and bringing in a diverse group of private sector players for the first time.

The White House hopes the meeting will allow participating countries to “institute a set of cyber norms that are recognized across the globe to counter criminal ransomware threats and hold malicious actors accountable,” the official said.

Participants plan to issue a joint statement at the end of the meeting on Tuesday, including a pledge to redouble efforts to bring pressure on Russia and other countries that harbour ransomware attackers, the official said.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2022