At a meeting chaired by this year’s G7 presidency in Rome on Thursday, the seven emphasised the importance of not agreeing to pay ransoms in the event of blackmail attempts. When using virtual currencies, they all agreed to adhere to the principles of transparency, reliability and security.

In addition to Italy, the group includes the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, France and Germany. Following the meeting at official level, the director of the Italian Agency for Cybersecurity, Bruno Frattasi, warned of the “significant economic and social impact” of cyberattacks. In addition, national security could also be jeopardised, reported German news agency (dpa).

The heads of state and government of the G7 will meet in southern Italy next month for their annual summit.