Russia needs to work to help curb cyberattacks on U.S. companies, and it is “time for the Russians to pay a price” for their “their looking the other way,” according to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Sunday.
“Our critical infrastructure is very exposed and we need to harden it, but more than anything else, we need to go on offense,” Graham told “Full Court Press” with Greta Van Susteren. “You can only play defense so long.
“It’s time for the Russians to pay a price here because none of this would happen without their looking the other way or actively encouraging it.”
Russia’s Vladimir Putin is not actively condoning the “cyberterrorists” attacks from his country, but he is not doing anything to curb it either, Graham added.
“I don’t think he said and told them to hack into the old pipeline,” Graham said. “I think these people live in Russia with impunity. They’re tied to the Russian intelligence services. They’re an extension of the Russian government. They’re one-off. They’re, to me, cyberterrorists living within Russia, attacking our interests.”
Ultimately, it is on the United States to hold Russians accountable, because Putin will not.
“What would the response be if there was a terrorist organization living in a country, actively attacking America?” Graham asked. “Would we be going after that country to help us? That’s exactly what’s happening.
“Cyberterrorism is emanating from Russia and we’re not doing a damn thing about it, and that needs to change.”
