Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday blamed the United States for the global cyber attack which hit almost 150 countries across the world since Friday.
The WannaCry ransomware hit thousands of computer systems across the world last week and locked down files on those systems. After encrypting computer data, the hackers then demanded $300 in ransom to release control of the files. The cyber attack paralysed British National Health Services (NHC) computers, Germany's national railway and many other companies and government institutions around the world.
Putin, who is currently in Beijing for the two-day Belt and Road Forum, said that intelligence services should be wary of creating a software which can be later used for mailicious means, Daily Mail reported. The Russian President blamed US stating that the initial source of the virus is the American intelligence services.
"As regards the source of these threats, I believe that the leadership of Microsoft have announced this plainly, that the initial source of the virus is the intelligence services of the US," Putin said.
"Once they are let out of the lamp, genies of this kind, especially those created by intelligence services, can later do damage to their authors and creators," he told reporters in Beijing.
The Russian leader said that the cyber attack did not cause any significant damage to institutions in Russia, including its banking and healthcare systems. Putin, however, added that the entire incident is worrying. "As a whole it is worrying, there's nothing good about it, it is a source of concern."
Putin also said that the global leaders needed to discuss cyber security and threat at a "serious political level," adding that the US has backed away from signing a cyber security agreement with Russia.
