The threat of cyberwarfare becomes larger amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis
As the world prepares to emerge out of one crisis, it finds itself thrust into the throes of another. The ongoing geopolitical tensions already make our reality seem rather bleak. In such a scenario, shouldn’t we be more cognizant of potential threats?
There is a clear and present danger today in the form of cyberwarfare. It’s a looming crisis that is burgeoning at the seams as the recent Russia-Ukraine conflict will bear testament to. After all, the war was preceded with cyber warfare between the two nations before actual conflict broke out.
While the idea of cyber terrorism may seem far fetched, we could be on the verge of a cybersecurity crisis. Let’s take a closer look at key cybersecurity threats to watch out for based on insights from security intelligence.
Source: TOI
Defacing websites
Even a seemingly innocuous cybercrime can be sinister if one looks at the larger picture. For instance, website defacement is a low-level kind of cybercrime that frequently targets tiny sites with insufficient protection and upkeep. While the culprits are frequently youthful amateur hackers with no malicious intent, the propaganda around such instances is a worrying trend for international relations.
Teenage pro-Iranian hackers took responsibility for defacing a website in 2020, writing protest notes with their social media names. F[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]or several years, organisations headquartered in China and Taiwan carried out reciprocal defacing actions, adding gasoline to an already smouldering relationship. When complicated political concerns are involved, the importance of “small” website defacing should not be overlooked.[/box]
According to CERT, more than 15, 651 Indian websites were faced in 2021, which is a remarkably high number compared to previous years.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks
Numerous computers are used in DDoS attacks to overwhelm an IT security system with a deluge of data from multiple sources at the same time. Hackers can use this method to throw the system off and divert security personnel’ attention away from a more serious breach, such as ransomware infection.
This form of assault is becoming more widespread in the commercial sector, particularly in the financial services sector.
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]According to Netscout’s latest cyber-intelligence threat report, more than 9.7 million DDoS attacks occurred in India during 2021, which is 14 percent more than the numbers seen in pre-pandemic 2019.[/box]
The Ransomware mafia
Ransomware is a sort of malware (malicious software) that prevents the victim from accessing computer files, data, or applications until the attacker receives payment. Cybercriminals usually provide an ultimatum: pay the ransom in exchange for a decryption code to open their IT systems, or lose everything forever.
This problem has grown beyond individual attacks to the point where businesses have had to pay extortion gangs millions of dollars. In 2021, ransomware assaults were more widespread than ever, affecting everything from pipelines to hospitals. While the bad actors behind these attacks usually have a clear financial motive, the same strategies may be utilised in a variety of assaults as part of a larger cyberwarfare operation.
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]According to Sophos (a cybersecurity firm), “The State of Ransomware 2021,” India ranks first among the top 30 nations for ransomware attacks, with 68 percent of Indian enterprises polled having been struck by ransomware in the previous 12 months.[/box]
In many ways, cyber warfare tools are ideal methods of sabotage as they are affordable, efficient and deniable. Today, we find that intelligence agencies, national governments, and armed forces are jumping on the cyber warfare bandwagon. According to Forbes, India is likely to spend $3 billion on cybersecurity in 2022.
-By Lionel Alva
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Times – ET Edge Insights, its management, or its members.
