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U.S. Banks Reported More Than $1B In Ransomware Payments In 2021; Victims' Families Face Parkland Shooter Before Sentencing; Officials To CNN: Iran Planning To Send More Weapons To Russia; U.S. Tracking Reports Of Explosion On Russian Fleet In Crimea; Research Indicates Pulse Oximeters Are Inaccurate On Darker Skin; Pfizer Will Seek FDA Approval For RSV Vaccine By End Of Year. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired November 01, 2022 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[10:30:57]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: First on CNN, the Treasury Department says U.S. financial institutions reported paying more than $1 billion in ransomware-related payments last year. That's according to department data. And it's more than double what was paid in 2020.

Joining me with more of these details, CNN Cybersecurity Reporter Sean Lyngaas. So this seems like a massive number. What's behind that big jump?

SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Right, Erica. Well, I think it's more -- mostly due to increased reporting, frankly. I mean, there definitely have been a steady amount or an increase in ransomware attacks on financial institutions and other industries over the last year. But the fact that there's little more transparency and requirements to actually report the data is giving us more of a sense of the scope of the problem.

For many years, this was mostly swept under the rug. Companies were very quiet about whether they paid off cybercriminals, it's not a particularly good look. And they just kind of wanted to get it over with and restore their data. Now they're getting a lot more scrutiny from the government, and they're being forced to disclose how often they're doing this.

And the figure, the $1 billion figure comprises potential payments and extortion amounts. So the actual number may be a bit lower than that. But it just gives you a sense of the scope of the problem, Erica --

HILL: Yes.

LYNGAAS: -- and it comes as the Biden administration this week is convening three dozen countries in Washington to talk about ransomware and how to crack down on some of these illicit flows of money.

HILL: I mean, how do you crack down on it? Is enough being done?

LYNGAAS: It certainly difficult, I mean --

HILL: My God, it's no but --

LYNGAAS: Right, it's very difficult. I mean, it -- the price of cryptocurrency has plummeted in recent months and that makes it less lucrative for some of these actors, but that doesn't mean it's slowing up. So --

HILL: Yes.

LYNGAAS: -- it's a combination of law enforcement and also diplomacy to try to make it happen, Erica.

HILL: Sean Lyngaas, appreciate the reporting. Thank you.

Well, throughout the morning, heartbreaking testimony from Parkland School shooting survivors and families of the victims as they share their stories in court. But the last several years have been like for them directly addressing the shooter ahead of his sentencing. The mother of Aaron Feis, a teacher who was killed that day, actually died just last week before she had the chance to address him on the court today.

I do want to share with you some of what other family members have been saying so far this morning. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBRA DIXON, WIFE OF PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIM CHRIS HIXON: He was stolen from us by an unimaginable act that you planned and executed. You stole him from us, and you did not receive the justice that you deserved. There is no mitigating circumstance that will ever outweigh the heinous and cruel way you stole him from us.

You were given a gift, a gift of grace and mercy, something you did not show to any of your victims. I wish nothing for you today. After today, I don't care what happens to you. You'll be sent to jail, you'll be getting your punishment, you'll be a number and for me you will cease to exist.

NATALIE HIXON, SISTER OF PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIM CHRIS NIXON: My brother Chris, on February 14, died a hero not just to our family, but to countless others of individuals that he touched. You however, you will die as nothing because you are nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Another parent explained how doctors told her their son had injuries similar to what a soldier would see in combat. The court is now in a short recess. Later today, Tony Montalto, the father of Gina Montalto who was killed in that massacre is expected to speak in court. I had a chance to talk with him earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) HILL: Joining me now is Tony Montalto, he's the father of Parkland shooting victim Gina Montalto. He's also the president of Stand with Parkland. It's good to have you back with us this morning. This has to be a highly emotional day for you. How are you feeling?

[10:35:01]

TONY MONTALTO, FATHER OF PARKLAND SHOOTING VICTIM GINA MONTALTO: Every day without Gina is tough. Today, we hope to begin wrapping up the sentencing of the mass murderer who took her life and getting him out of the public eye will be helpful to all of our families.

HILL: I can only imagine how that would be helpful. You'll also have the chance to speak this morning. I know you were really limited in what you could say during your victim impact statement. How will this morning be different for you?

MONTALTO: This morning, we'll be able to speak about the murderer, to speak about his actions, to speak to the verdict we thought he deserved, and sadly didn't receive it. We'll be able to talk about the process. And quite frankly, how the fairness of the trial was definitely fair to the murder, but to the ridiculous things that were stated in some of this, whereas the families had to sit there quiet as church mice despite the horrific things we saw about our children and spouses, despite the -- looking at pictures, as they tried to humanize this murderer who went in and killed our children.

How fair was it that we were only allowed to steal one picture of our loved ones, while we had a look at every possible school picture of the mass murderer showing a smile on his face, showing that he didn't have as tough childhood as they made out, if you go by the pictures. That's for sure.

We also, you know, can't believe that our victim impact statements were instructed to be disregarded by the jury. And maybe the law, I don't know how it got there. But how fair is that to the victims? The only people who can't speak for themselves, to have their loved ones who can speak on their behalf, be instructed to not be taken into account during deliberations.

BLITZER: And so we'll be hearing that from you. I know the attorneys said that he is not expected to speak. Is there anything that you would want to hear from him?

MONTALTO: No. Never. The best we can hope for is that he disappears in the black hole, the correction system. I pray that some of his writings never get out. The writings that are telling people how to do the next school shooting. And if that does, God help the conscience of the jurors that decided not to put him to death.

HILL: Before I let you go, you found that you're the president of Stand with Parkland.

MONTALTO: Yes.

HILL: Has that work helped you in some way? I am in no way suggesting there's anything even close to closure, I don't think that's -- I think it's a terrible thing to say. But I asked if that's helped you in some way also to keep Gina's memory alive, to let people know about her and to talk about the importance of school safety?

MONTALTO: Without a doubt, the families that came together, the families that lost someone in this tragedy came together to form Stand with Parkland, the National Association of Families for Safe Schools. And through that process, we've passed multiple state laws in various states. We've changed policies around this nation. And we've helped pass national laws such as the Fix NICs Act, the Stop School Violence Act, and we were instrumental (ph) in getting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed.

We also helped create the federal clearinghouse of school safety. And just today, tomorrow, and Thursday, there's the first K through 12 National Summit on school safety being offered by that. That is the true legacy of my beautiful Gina and the others that were taken that day, is the changes that had been made to protect others.

We will always honor Gina's legacy by helping to protect others and keep her light shining as well through the Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation. They must be remembered. The victims are important because they were people before they were victims.

HILL: Absolutely. Tony Montalto, thank you again for taking the time to join us this morning.

MONTALTO: Thanks for having me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[10:40:04]

HILL: Up next, CNN has learned that Iran is preparing to send about 1,000 new weapons to Russia including attack drones. I'll speak to one of our military analysts about what that could mean on the battlefield.

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HILL: An alarming new development in Russia's war on Ukraine. Officials tell CNN they believe Iran is planning to ship even more weapons to Russia, including a new supply of drones that have already made a deadly impact in this war. This as U.S. intelligence officials say they're looking into a series of explosions on Russian vessels at a port in Crimea. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility. Russia though is blaming Ukraine.

CNN Military Analyst Retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton joining me now. I feel like I want to go rapid fire with you because I have so many things I want to talk to you about.

[10:45:07]

Let's start really quickly though with those -- with the targeting of these Russian ships. Ukraine is not taking responsibility, perhaps in some ways that isn't unexpected. But wouldn't it make sense?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It would absolutely make sense, Erica because one of the key things here is those chips were legitimate targets for the Ukrainians to hit. They are military targets that are outside of the lines of all the grain shipment activity that, you know, has been in the news as well. So yes, it would absolutely make sense for the Ukrainians to target them.

And we have to remember, they hit the Moscow which was the flagship of the Ukrainian blacks -- or excuse me, the Russian Black Sea fleet and that was a big deal when it happened back at the beginning of this conflict.

HILL: You bring up the grain. So Russia, as we learned earlier this week, of course, pulled out of that U.N. grain agreement. President Zelenskyy is now blaming Russia for further impacting this global food crisis that we're seeing that is expected to ramp up. This is seen by a lot of folks, though, as just another one of Putin's tactics to try to wear down the world, essentially, and support for Ukraine. Have you seen any evidence that that support is starting to wane as winter's coming for so many people?

LEIGHTON: Actually, surprisingly, not yet. I think it could wane. But at this point in time, Erica, you know, both in the United States, as well as in Europe, support for Ukraine is still very high, including among countries that have elected to new governments, many of them more right-wing than their predecessors. Those governments have basically pledged to support Ukraine, especially in Italy and Sweden. And that is a big deal. I -- and it really means that the U.S. is still ignited in its efforts to support Ukraine.

HILL: I was really struck this morning when we heard from the mayor of Kyiv who said that water and power had been fully restored in the capital. This is not 24 hours after we had heard that 80 percent of those -- of the water was out of commission at that point. So that speed of repair is really something and very important. But with Russia continuing to target infrastructure, can Ukraine keep up that pace, the pace, frankly, of repairs along with the shelling and the targets?

LEIGHTON: Well it's going to be really hard for the teams to do this, but they are certainly capable and, you know, as the example that you cited with Kyiv power and water being restored so quickly, the Ukrainians are clearly adept at overcoming a lot of things that the Russians have thrown at them. What it tells me is that Russians, while they're accurate in some of their targeting, they so far have not brought to bear all the firepower that they would need to bring to bear in order to really turn off the lights permanently in Ukraine, and I don't think they'll ever be able to do that.

HILL: Not even with this potentially real quickly, but this potential boosting weapons from Iran?

LEIGHTON: Not even with that. Those weapons, you know, are good in a kind of a pinpoint way. But they are not a -- you know, those big weapons that you would need in order to destroy large areas of Ukraine, they're just not built that way.

HILL: Colonel Cedric Leighton, always appreciate your insight. And thanks for -- we got through a lot of topics there, appreciate it. Thank you.

LEIGHTON: You bet, Erica, anytime.

HILL: Coming up here, the FDA meeting now over concerns about pulse oximeters. Why the devices that are used to measure your blood oxygen levels may not work as well on people of color. Those details just ahead.

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[10:53:19]

HILL: The pandemic made you all too familiar with pulse oximeters, it's that device that clamps right on your fingertip, and it reads your blood oxygen level. The FDA, though, is now meeting to discuss concerns that the devices may give less accurate readings for people of color

CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard joins me now with details. So it's just sort of -- is head scratching, to be honest, that it would work differently, simply based on the color of your skin? What more do we know about this meeting, Jacqueline?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: That's right, Erica, it is mind boggling. And this meeting just started this morning, it's going to last all day. And this panel of FDA advisers are going to go over this information. They're going to talk about how pulse oximeters work, how they use light technology to estimate blood oxygen levels and your pulse rate. And we're talking about devices available over the counter and by prescription.

And that light technology that the device uses to estimate blood oxygen levels may play a factor and how these devices can be less accurate in people with darker skin tones. And Erica, I know the pandemic, you know, kind of sheds light on this issue. But this is a device that was invented in 1974. We have research going back decades on this technology. And yet we're just now talking about this issue. So the meeting today will really help inform the FDA on its regulation of these devices moving forward, Erica.

HILL: Yes, so important.

HOWARD: Yes.

HILL: Also speaking of the FDA, Pfizer says it's going to seek FDA approval by the end of the year for an RSV vaccine. What more do we know about that vaccine?

HOWARD: That's right, and I'm smiling because we're going through RSV surge right now. So if this happens, it would definitely benefit us for the next RSV season.

[10:55:02]

And what we know about this Pfizer vaccine, it's actually used in pregnant women. And the idea here is that by vaccinating women during pregnancy, their antibodies can be transferred to their infants. And the efficacy of this vaccine, according to clinical trials, is 82 percent against severe illness in newborns in their first 90 days of life and then 69 percent through their first six months of life. So the idea here is for this vaccine to really help provide that protection to our youngest most vulnerable children. Erica?

HILL: Absolutely. Jacqueline Howard, appreciate it. Thank you.

HOWARD: Absolutely.

HILL: If you're keeping score, $1.2 billion. That's now the size of the Powerball jackpot. No winners in last night's drawing. That $1.2 billion prize is the second biggest jackpot in Powerball history. Don't worry, there is still time for you to win and share it with those you love. The drawing tomorrow night.

Thanks so much for joining us today. I'm Erica Hill. Stay tuned At This Hour with Kate Bolduan comes your way after a quick break.

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