In a stern warning to state-sponsored malicious cyber activities, the grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the United States – collectively called Quad – has said they would assist each other in ensuring the security and resilience of regional cyberinfrastructure.
A joint statement issued after foreign ministers Penny Wong of Australia, S Jaishankar of India, Hayashi Yoshimasa of Japan and US Secretary of State Tony Blinken met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York called on states to take reasonable steps to address ransomware operations emanating from within their territory.
"We exercise responsibility to assist each other in the face of malicious cyber activity, including from ransomware, against critical infrastructure," it said.
The joint statement described this as a call to action.
The foreign ministers said that the Quad countries are committed to an open, secure, stable, accessible, and peaceful cyberspace and support regional initiatives to enhance the capacity of countries to implement the UN Framework for Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace.