Thomas Bossert, homeland security adviser to President Donald Trump, has said the U.S. has determined that North Korea was responsible for a ransomware attack that disrupted computer systems worldwide in May.
Bossert said Tuesday in a press briefing the attribution of the ransomware, dubbed WannaCry, to the East Asian country is based on “careful investigation†in collaboration with private companies and other international governments such as the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
“We do not make this allegation lightly,†he said during a press briefing at the White House.
“We do so with evidence, and we do so with partners.â€
Europol discovered in May that the ransomware attack compromised computers of at least 200,000 individuals in over 150 countries.
Bossert cited the efforts of technology firms such as Microsoft and Facebook to patch computer networks and disable accounts of North Korea-backed threat actors.
He also called on the private sector to advance accountability and information sharing in support of the U.S. cyber defense efforts.
Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications at the Department of Homeland Security, discussed DHS’ cyber initiatives in response to the WannaCry attack during the press briefing.
She also cited the need for public-private collaboration and efforts to build up partnerships with cybersecurity centers worldwide.