US, Spain to Develop Tool for Sharing PPP Best Practices to Combat Ransomware

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has announced a project focused on developing a capacity-building tool that will guide countries in forming or enhancing public-private partnerships to support their fight against ransomware. CISA, the U.S. Department of State, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior and the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise will work together to build the tool. The project was developed during the second International Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit, CISA said.

According to Guillermo Ardizone Garcia, political director of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the tool will allow the public and private sectors to share PPP best practices and expose creative financing schemes for the benefit of all stakeholders and partners involved in the CRI.

The platform will also provide countries with case studies of PPPs involved in successful counter-ransomware fights and deliver guidance to help them implement their own partnerships as part of their national counter-ransomware initiatives.

Brandon Wales, CISA executive director, said sharing knowledge among partner nations will enhance the security of critical infrastructure.

Thirty-six countries participated in the CRI Summit held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. The Biden-Harris administration organized the annual event to support CRI partners in disrupting cyber criminals, countering illicit finance and establishing global cooperation to address cybersecurity challenges.

In 2023, the CRI expects to create an International Counter Ransomware Task Force headed by Australia and build a fusion cell at the Regional Cyber Defense Centre in Lithuania to evaluate a scaled version of the ICRTF and perform ransomware-related threat information sharing.