The United States gathered the countries — with the notable exception of Russia — to unify and boost efforts to fight a cybercrime that is transnational, on the rise and potentially devastating.

“The threat of ransomware is complex and global in nature and requires a shared response,” the joint summit statement said, adding the nations “recognize the need for urgent action, common priorities and complementary efforts.”

These attacks involve breaking into an entity’s networks to encrypt its data, then demanding a ransom, typically paid via cryptocurrency in exchange for the key to unlock it.