President Trump Says Russia Is Not A Cyber Threat

Uploaded on 2025-03-03 in FREE TO VIEW

During former President Joe Biden's four years in the White House, he wasn't shy about describing Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies in the Kremlin as a serious cyber security threat to the US.

But President Donald Trump isn't nearly as critical of Putin.

Now, Trump has publicly and privately said that the US does not believe Russia is a cyber threat to US national security or critical infrastructure.

This could certainly make the US vulnerable to hacking attacks by Russia, experts warned, and appeared to reflect the warm relations between Trump and Putin.

Two recent statements suggest that the US no longer characterises Russia as a cyber security threat.

Liesyl Ftanz, deputy assistant secretary for international cyber security at the state department, said in a speech recently at a United Nations working group on cyber security that the US was concerned by threats perpetrated by some states, but only named China and Iran, with no mention of Russia in her remarks.

Franz also did not mention the Russia-based LockBit ransomware group, which the US has previously said is the most prolific ransomware group in the world and has been called out in UN forums in the past.

The treasury last year said LockBit operates on a ransomeware-as-service model, in which the group licenses its ransomware software to criminals in exchange for a portion of the paid ransoms.

In contrast to Franz’s statement, representatives for US allies in the European Union and the UK focused their remarks on the threat posed by Moscow, with the UK pointing out that Russia was using offensive and malicious cyber attacks against Ukraine alongside its illegal invasion.

“It’s incomprehensible to give a speech about threats in cyberspace and not mention Russia and it’s delusional to think this will turn Russia and the FSB (the Russian security agency) into our friends,” said James Lewis, a veteran cyber expert formerly of the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington.

A recent statement from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) set out new priorities for the agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security and monitors cyber threats against US critical infrastructure.

The new directive set out priorities that included China and protecting local systems, but it did not mention Russia.

The Guardian | Spot Media | Wired | MSN
Daily Kos | LinkedIn

If you like this website and use the comprehensive 7,000-plus service supplier Directory, you can get unrestricted access, including the exclusive in-depth Directors Report series, by signing up for a Premium Subscription.