The hackers that disrupted access to 70 government websites on Friday could set the stage for more serious cyberattacks that disrupt the lives of ordinary Ukrainians, experts say.
“As tensions rise, we can expect more aggressive cyber activity in Ukraine and possibly elsewhere,” said John Hultquist, an intelligence analyst at US cybersecurity firm Mandiant.
“Subsequent attacks are likely to include destructive operations targeting critical infrastructure”, he said.
Hacker intrusions into hospitals, energy companies, and the financial system have been rare until recently. But organized cybercriminals, many of whom allegedly live in Russia, have been aggressively targeting institutions over the past two years with ransomware, data freezes, and computer hardware freezes.
Poland and the United States, namely Victoria Nuland, have traditionally accused Russia of cyber attacks.
And the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine generally suggested that the attack “is connected with the recent defeat of Russia in negotiations on Ukraine’s future cooperation with NATO.”