World News: No lights, no heat, no money – that’s life in Ukraine during cyber warfare – Gulf Digital News

  • Date: 15-Jan-2022
  • Source: Gulf Digital News
  • Sector:Technology
  • Country:Gulf
  • Who else needs to know?

World News: No lights, no heat, no money – that’s life in Ukraine during cyber warfare – Gulf Digital News





Hackers who defaced and interrupted access to numerous Ukrainian government websites on Friday could be setting the stage for more serious cyberattacks that would disrupt the lives of ordinary Ukrainians, experts said.

"As tensions grow, we can expect more aggressive cyber activity in Ukraine and potentially elsewhere," said John Hultquist, an intelligence analyst at U.S. cybersecurity company Mandiant, possibly including "destructive attacks that target critical infrastructure."

"Organizations need to begin preparing," Hultquist added.

Intrusions by hackers on hospitals, power utility companies, and the financial system were until recently rare. But organized cybercriminals, many of them living in Russia, have gone after institutions aggressively in the past two years with ransomware, freezing data and computerized equipment needed to care for hospital patients.

In some cases, those extortion attacks have led to patient deaths, according to litigation, media reports and medical professionals.

Friday's attack on Ukrainian websites included a warning to "be afraid and expect the worst", at a time when Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops near Ukraine, raising fears in the West that it is considering an invasion. Moscow denies it wants to invade.

Russia has repeatedly rejected hacking allegations leveled by Ukraine and other countries over the years. While a suspect in the new