The rising risk of Russian cyberattacks after the Ukraine invasion

For the last several months, security and intelligence agencies have watched with grim trepidation as Russian military equipment and troops have mobilized along the Russia-Ukraine border. On February 24th, 2022, Russian troops crossed the border, beginning an invasion and armed conflict that has Ukrainian civilians fleeing to neighboring countries for safety and the rest of the world watching to see what will happen next.
Unfortunately, military aggression is not the only weapon in Russia’s arsenal. Cyberattacks from Russia are a common occurrence, and their expertise in cyberwarfare is unmatched. Let’s discuss how Russian intelligence organizations are using cyberattacks on Ukraine in this conflict and how US-based business can prepare for the global increase in cybercrime that could result from these growing tensions.
In the days before the physical invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s cyberattacks on Ukrainian government websites and related organizations ramped up in an effort to sow disorganization and confusion.
Here are a few examples of those attacks.
While these cyberattacks against Ukraine’s government entities are shocking, it is not unexpected. Russia has a long history of using cybercrime as a weapon against foreign entities, both for political and financial gain.
Given that the United States and other countries have recently imposed punitive financial and export sanctions against Russia, every organization operating online must be prepared for the possibility of Russian cyber retaliation. These attacks could run the gamut from ransomware to more DDoS attacks, all designed to sow discord, unsettle American businesses, and spread disinformation.
In the past, Russian state-sanctioned cyber criminals have not discriminated between government agencies and those operating privately in their fight to disrupt American life. Recently, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued guidance on how American organizations can protect themselves and their digital assets from interference by Russian agents.
Their recommendations include technical guidance to improve your current security posture, as well as resources on free services and partners that can help you feel more cybersecure.
In addition to following the recommendations from CISA, here are some other best practices and security measures organizations can and should be following to help protect themselves from Russian retaliation and cyberattacks.
Unfortunately, many organizations are working with firewalls that do not offer enough protection against sophisticated cyberattacks like the ones perpetrated by Russian agents in the past. Over the past week, our team at Threater has had an outpour of requests inquiring how and what our solution can provide in an unfortunate time like this.
If you know or suspect that your firewall is not as effective as it could be, establishing an active defense should be a fundamental part of your security plan. Threater fill gaps in your firewall to offer instantly increased network protection without the hassle of re-engineering your entire security stack. Our Geo-IP blocking platform even allows your organization to specifically block cyberattacks from Russia, if it’s installed before an attack occurs. The importance of continuous collaboration with cyber intelligence in real-time will only further aid us in understanding and reducing risks to our network. Resulting in optimal security environments and protected organizations for all.