Russian intelligence agencies have stepped up their efforts to breach government computer networks in the US and its allies. Attacks have been launched against forty-two nations that support Kyiv, including governments, think tanks, corporations, and charity organisations.
Outside of Ukraine, Russian cyberattacks mostly targeted American businesses. According to Microsoft President Brad Smith, at least 27% of successful network attacks resulted in data theft:
The success rate of Russian targeting since the start of the conflict is 27%. As a group of nations have united to support Ukraine, Russian intelligence services have increased network breach and surveillance operations against allies outside of Ukraine.
In response to a request for clarification, the Russian embassy in Washington did not answer right away. In the past, Moscow has denied carrying out cyber espionage operations abroad.
Researchers have linked severe cyber attacks on Ukrainian targets to hacktivist organisations supported by the Russian government ever since the conflict started. Analysts discovered that the same groups also targeted 128 businesses in forty-two other countries in hidden, cyber warfare attacks.
Microsoft reported that since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 25, it has not found any Russian cyberattacks in Estonia. The use of cloud computing, where it is simpler to identify attackers, in Estonia is credited by the corporation. Microsoft said all other European states still have significant collective defensive issues without specifying which ones.
Foreign policy analysts begin to worry that future wars may be structured this way after Russia’s use of mixed kinetic and cyber warfare against Ukraine. Microsoft stated in a previous study that malware data wiping hacks opened the way for military operations in Ukraine.
According to report:
The number of destructive attacks dropped during the last month as the Russian military started to concentrate its operations on the Donbas region.
The most recent investigation listed six cases since the invasion in which cyber attacks targeting organisations in Ukraine seemed to come first. In one, it was claimed that Russian hackers attempted to breach the computer network of a Ukrainian nuclear power firm the day before the Russian army took the company’s biggest plant.
The invasion is portrayed by Russia as a special operation to arrest Nazis. That is referred to as a hollow excuse for war by Kiev and the West in order to eradicate Ukraine’s national identity
A satellite station attack is among the significant reported Russian cyberattacks in Ukraine after the February invasion. Tens of thousands of satellite modems lost internet access during that strike, which also resulted in waves of data-wiping breaches intended to undermine Ukrainian government institutions as the invasion progressed.
Russian hackers are targeting NATO Members
NATO nations have been on high alert for potential Russian cyberattacks. Sweden and Finland’s governments were on high alert for Russian hacking both before and after they declared their decision to apply to join NATO in May.
The targets of cyber attacks included NATO members in about two-thirds of the instances. The main target was the United States, while Poland, the largest source of military aid to Ukraine, was the second-most important target. Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Turkey have all experienced increased targeting during the previous two months.
Authorities in Sweden have been urging operators of key infrastructure to lower their criteria for reporting questionable online behaviour for months. Sweden and Finland, who share thousands of miles of border with Russia, have been warned by the Kremlin not to join NATO.
On April 8, a cyberattack temporarily took down the websites of the foreign affairs and defence ministries of Finland while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky talked with the Finnish parliament via video conference.
Microsoft added:
Russian cyber influence operations were successful in increasing the circulation of Russian propaganda after the war started by 89% in the United States and 214% in Ukraine.
Has your organisation started to increase cyber security measures yet? Start your two-week free trial today.
