Tag Archive for: hacking
Russian hacking groups increase cyber attacks on Ukraine
Credit: Dreamstime
Hacking groups closely linked to the Russian government have made nearly 40 destructive attacks against hundreds of Ukrainian targets since the start of the invasion, according to a report issued by Microsoft.
The attacks have been largely, but not exclusively, targeted at Ukrainian government institutions, and Microsoft’s report noted that these attacks have had damaging effects on the country’s economy and civilian population, in addition to Ukraine’s government and military.
Operating under the apparent direction of three main groups — the GRU military intelligence service, SVR interior ministry and FSB security service — Russian-backed hackers undertook a huge range of offensive cyber operations against Ukraine, ranging from phishing campaigns and misinformation to data theft and the destruction of critical systems, Microsoft said.
Energy infrastructure has been a particular target of the hackers, according to Microsoft, which noted that nuclear safety organisations and regional energy providers have been targeted by data theft and system destruction attacks.
But the energy sector is far from the only one in the hackers’ sights, as media organisations, logistics providers and even, in one case, an agricultural firm were compromised.
Pace of cyber attacks expected to quicken
Microsoft said that the pace of attacks is likely to quicken as the invasion continues, given Russian President Vladimir Putin’s public insistence that the war “would continue until objectives were achieved.”
A blog post accompanying the report said that the scope of Russia’s offensive cyber activities could even expand as the conflict wears on, noting that there are already indications of retaliatory measures being taken against the numerous countries providing material support to Ukraine.
“The alerts published by CISA and other US government agencies, and cyber officials in other countries, should be taken seriously and the recommended defensive and resilience measures should be taken – especially…
Investing In Secular Trends: Hacking And Cybersecurity
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As our digital footprints grow at an exponential rate and become more accessible from anywhere on Earth, and on multiple platforms, it is more important than ever to protect our data. Businesses and individuals alike are becoming more vulnerable to outside and nefarious actions by those that can exploit private and sensitive information for financial gain or to cause disruptions. I believe that this activity will continue for the foreseeable future (measured in years and decades) and is likely to become more top of mind for corporate America as well as individuals.
Cybersecurity is not a new term or new concern by any means, but I believe that the prevalence of hacks and need for robust protection will be a secular trend, driven by the exponential growth in data. I characterize a secular trend as one that continues despite business cycles, political environments, interest and inflation rates, and other factors, including most exogenous shocks. Companies experiencing secular growth provide pockets of opportunity during the current period of stock market uncertainty, rising interest rates, commodity volatility driven by supply/demand imbalances, and logistical issues. Clearly, there are limits to this description. Another pandemic or world war would certainly be expected to derail most trends, cyclical or secular.
Growing Vulnerabilities And Opportunities
Economic disruptions, logistical challenges, and supply chain bottlenecks contributed to the creation of new vulnerabilities for adversaries (i.e., hackers) to exploit. The growing number of leaks and attacks in recent years supports the thesis that adversaries place a high value on data, control of assets, and collecting ransoms when possible. Attackers are increasingly avoiding the use of malware to breach systems and steal information, instead seeking legitimate administrator credentials to gain access to target assets and data. This strategy helps the adversaries avoid detection by legacy antivirus products that are ill-equipped to prevent or stop this activity. In 2021, there was a 45% increase in “interactive intrusion campaigns” according to CrowdStrike’s (CRWD) 2022 Global Threat…
