Langevin Statement on Ransomware Cyber Attacks

Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus and a senior member of the House Committees on Armed Services and Homeland Security, released the following statement about the spike in ransomware attacks beginning last Friday:

“The so-called ‘WannaCry’ ransomware has caused significant disruption around the globe due to its unusually high degree of infectivity. Thankfully, that trait can be countered with a Microsoft Windows patch that has been available since March. I implore all computer users to update their systems immediately, and, where possible, enable automatic software updates.

“I have often said that cybersecurity is the national security challenge of the 21st Century, and WannaCry demonstrates the massive disruption malicious software can cause. Business leaders, particularly those in critical infrastructure industries, must make cybersecurity a risk management priority if we are to stave off the inevitable next wave of attacks. The government, too, needs to step up efforts to improve its cybersecurity posture, and the President must act immediately to fill critical vacancies in cybersecurity posts.

“While the WannaCry incident is ongoing, I have thus far been impressed by the information sharing between security researchers, governments, and affected organizations. WannaCry is an international security challenge, and it demonstrates the vulnerabilities all connected countries share on the Internet. Law enforcement agencies around the world must work together swiftly to bring the perpetrators to justice.”