Readout of the First Joint Ransomware Task Force Meeting
WASHINGTON – The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) co-chaired the first meeting of the Joint Ransomware Task Force (JRTF), an interagency body established by Congress to unify and strengthen efforts against the ongoing threat of ransomware.
The JRTF will unify existing efforts and identify new initiatives to effectively leverage the unique authorities and capabilities across government and the private sector, including actions to protect against ransomware intrusions more effectively and to disrupt ransomware actors. At today’s meeting, participating agencies discussed how to leverage the JRTF to improve coordination and make measurable progress in addressing the ransomware threat. Some of the activities that will be coordinated by the JRTF include:
- Prioritization of operations to disrupt specific ransomware actors;
- Facilitating coordination and collaboration between Federal entities and relevant private sector and SLTT entities to improve Federal actions against ransomware threats, including efforts to increase adoption of defensive measures to reduce the prevalence of successful ransomware intrusions;
- Identifying a list of highest threat ransomware entities updated on an ongoing basis; and
- Collecting, sharing, and analyzing ransomware trends.
“Significantly reducing the prevalence and impact of ransomware intrusions requires deep collaboration and coordination across the public and private sectors,” said Eric Goldstein, Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, CISA, and Co-Chair of the JRTF. “With our close partners at the FBI and other government agencies and benefiting from the expertise and capabilities of the private sector, this task force will take the necessary steps to synchronize our efforts and implement actions that can help lead to a future where ransomware no longer afflicts American organizations.”
“The FBI's commitment to combating the ransomware threat has never wavered and continues to be a top focus,” said Bryan Vorndran, Assistant Director of Cyber Division and Co-Chair of the JRTF, FBI. “The Joint Ransomware Task Force signifies the FBI's continuance to ensure safety, security, and confidence in a digitally connected world, and we're looking forward to coordinating the threat with a whole-of-government approach.”
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As the nation’s cyber defense agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day. Visit CISA.gov for more information.