US spy agencies investigating if Putin knew about Russian cyber-attacks on Western targets
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – US intelligence officials are working to understand whether Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was aware of recent Russian cyberattacks on Western targets, Just the News reports. Some commentators have speculated the attacks were orchestrated by Putin to test US President Joe Biden’s resolve in dealing with Russia.
According to Just the News, a new hack was uncovered Sunday, this time against the Brazil-based JBS meat producer in Australia. This followed last month’s hack into the US-based Colonial Pipeline. Both of the most recent hacks were traceable to Russia, although not specifically to the Putin administration.
Discussing the hacks and whether Putin was actually behind them, a US government intelligence official told Just the News: “This is key to unraveling what happened with these hacks. The big get is, did Putin know, and if so, when did he know it? But also why were these launched, and why now?”
On Fox News, Wednesday, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said he believed that hacks are “absolutely” a means by which Putin is testing Biden. “You cannot somehow dissect Vladimir Putin from the criminal organizations of Russia that carry out these ransomware attacks,” McCaul said. “It is all interrelated with Russia. Perhaps [they] didn’t get direct approval but certainly approval.”
The White House has stated Biden does not believe the hacks are a test, but that answers are required from Putin.
“The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday.
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