The White House warned business leaders in a Thursday letter about the growing risk of ransomware attacks, while urging them to beef up security. “The threats are serious and they are increasing,” Anne Neuberger, cybersecurity adviser at the National Security Council, said in the letter obtained by media outlets. “All organizations must recognize that no company is safe from being targeted by ransomware, regardless of size or location,” she wrote. “Much as our homes have locks and alarm systems and our office buildings have guards and security to meet the threat of theft, we urge you to take ransomware crime seriously and ensure your corporate cyber defenses match the threat.” Neuberger’s advice to companies includes urging them to store data backups offline, make sure systems are promptly updated and patched, bolster security teams, and strengthen firewalls between operational networks and the internet. The White House warning comes after a number of …