The Russian Cyber War Began Years Ago…
In response to Russia’s most recent attempts to dissolve Ukraine, the United States alongside its allies and many other geopolitical actors have taken sudden action to suppress their relations with Russia. These include sanctions limiting the transfer of goods, money, and resources to and from the country. Both as a statement and as an effort to slow down Putin’s agenda, these sanctions are designed to create heavy blows to the Russian economy. However, in a matter of days, Americans have found themselves caught in the crossfire.
Russia is known for its talented hackers, ransomware, and cyber breaching technology. In 2021, it is suggested that 74% of all money made through ransomware attacks went to Russian hackers. Every year the number of these attacks increase, and the Russian attacks on Ukraine have only caused attacks to skyrocket.
According to Stellar Cyber chief technology officer, Aimei Wei: “Immediately after the conflict broke out, suspected Russian-sourced cyber attacks were observed over a 48-our period at an increase of over 800%.”
Who are the hacker’s primary targets? Surprisingly, they are not looking to rob rich CEOs or major governmental organizations. Rather, they target small businesses and average-income earning Americans. Compared to the Fortune 500, small businesses are less likely to protect their software against cyber threats. Their lack of protections makes it easy for hackers to make small profits from a lot of small businesses. By the end of a hacker’s workday, they could make tens of thousands off of unsuspecting businesses.
It is extremely important for small businesses and individuals alike take steps towards preventing cyber-attacks. Here is a list of simple measures you can implement to take the target off your back:
Use multi-factor authentication where you can. The more steps you have to take to log into precious accounts, the more difficult they are to hack.
Download antivirus software.
Educate yourself and your employees/coworkers how to identify scams and security threats. It is safest to be suspicious of unfamiliar emails. Do not open links from unknown senders. If it seems sketchy, it most likely is unsafe!
Back up your devices and files. If your device becomes infected with ransomware, you should be able to restore with a backup.
Keep login credentials secure. Using a password manager can help with that.
As the Russian attacks on Ukraine continue, it would be wise to expect more frequent cyber-attacks from both the Kremlin and patriotic vigilantes. Implement as many precautions as you can, and keep your digital information safe!