Washington (AFP)

US President Joe Biden, ministers and heads of large companies are due to meet on cybersecurity on Wednesday, after a wave of cyber attacks that highlighted the vulnerability of many infrastructures.

The leaders of Google, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft will be present at the White House, as well as the presidents of large groups, banks, insurance and essential services (water, electricity), said a senior administration official.

Data theft and ransomware attacks have escalated in recent months, targeting a variety of companies and organizations, including a US pipeline operator, a meat packer, the Irish health services IT system and a major airline. Indian.

"There will be concrete announcements," the official promised at a press conference on Tuesday.

The recent attacks "created a sense of urgency" and the need for the government and private companies to refocus their attention on this scourge, he said.

The objective of the meeting is to identify which vulnerabilities allow hackers to penetrate systems, and therefore to make equipment and software more resistant and waterproof.

"We need to move towards a system where security is provided by default," commented the senior official.

The gigantic cyberattack that hit the United States at the end of 2020 affected Microsoft's e-mail servers and compromised the Orion software of the American firm SolarWinds, used for the management and supervision of computer networks of large companies or administrations .

SolarWinds Headquarters April 15, 2021 in Austin, TX SUZANNE CORDEIRO AFP / Archives

This episode raised questions about the protection of 16 "key infrastructures", including energy, defense, industrial production and food.

Some analysts have called for tougher sanctions against Russia and other countries accused of harboring hackers.

Others propose to better regulate cryptocurrencies, used by hackers who demand ransoms to restore a service they have blocked (ransomware).

Bosses Sundar Pichai (Google), Andy Jassy (Amazon), Tim Cook (Apple) and Satya Nadella (Microsoft) will be in attendance.

Executives from JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and other financial and insurance companies were invited, as were heads of water, gas and electricity suppliers.

Directors of organizations dedicated to education will also participate in the discussions.

Major cyberattacks Erin CONROY AFP / Archives

The ministers of trade, homeland security and senior cybersecurity advisers must facilitate the meetings.

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