US Wary of Russia Shares Intel With Foreign Banks to Enhance Cybersecurity, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States is sharing intelligence data with foreign banks in order to strengthen security against potential Russian cyberattacks in alleged retaliation for economic sanctions imposed on Moscow by Western countries, Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing sources.

The US typically informed only US-based businesses about potential cyberthreats, excluding companies headquartered in other countries even if they have sizable US operations, according to the report.

This new cooperation with foreign banks underlines the importance of joint actions by the US and global finance industry to enforce sanctions against Russia, the report said.

In March, the US Department of Homeland Security and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency held conversations with representatives of global banks, the report added.

"Truly global" banks with a large presence in the US were in the room for the first time, an executive at a large US bank told Financial Times.

On 24 February, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian aggression. In response, the European Union rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting numerous Russian officials and entities, media and financial institutions.