Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy
Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council
meeting on threats posed by ransomware attacks.
Earlier this year in the General Assembly open-ended working
group on information communication technologies, all states
recognised that ransomware attacks “may have an impact on
international peace and security.”
Ransomware actors have consistently attacked critical national
infrastructure, local government, and hospitals for personal
financial gain.
Most groups exist in jurisdictions that allow them to operate
with impunity. We call on these states to do more to tackle the
criminal gangs based in or making use of their territory.
The UK, like many here today, continues to be a victim of
ransomware incidents. Our National Health Service was affected by
the Wannacry ransomware strain in 2017, which cost $118 million
to recover from. Money that could have been spent on saving
lives.
This year a critical supplier to London hospitals was affected by
a ransomware incident, which postponed over 10,000 health
appointments and over 1,700 medical procedures.
This disruption is replicated across our critical sectors, it is
why the UK considers ransomware one of our most significant cyber
threats to national security.
To counter this, the UK is working to break the ransomware
business and discourage victims from paying these criminals.
Alongside international partners, the UK has issued 36 sanctions
against actors involved in these types of activities.
But we need a global response to this global threat.
First, we urge others to join the UK Government in not paying
ransoms. In October, the UK and 49 other members of the Counter
Ransomware Initiative signed a public statement committing
governments not to not pay ransoms.
Second, coordination will be our best defence. Recently, UK law
enforcement led a coalition of global law enforcement agencies to
disrupt the Lockbit ransomware group, the most prolific
ransomware group of 2024.
And third, we must increase resilience to these attacks, by
sharing information to illuminate the threats and build our
collective understanding.
We will continue to cooperate with international partners and
industry to counter ransomware and dismantle the cyber criminal
ecosystem.
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