Global Cyber Risk Threats Intensify in the Wake of War in Ukraine
Experts advise Russia’s cyber-attacks on Ukraine could spread worldwide, and all organizations should prepare immediately
As of 3/9/2022
Russia’s military assault on Ukraine has a significant cyber component, including distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, ransomware, and
destructive wiper malware destroying data. As a result, governments and cyber security experts warn “every organization, large
and small, must be prepared to respond to disruptive cyber activity.”
Staying Informed
While information and guidance are rapidly evolving, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (“CISA”) remains one of the most credible sources for timely and actionable intelligence. In addition to cyber readiness, organizations of all sizes are also encouraged to remain aware of foreign influence operations attempting to use mis-, dis-, and malinformation (MDM) tactics to disrupt and undermine democratic interests.Guidance
At present, guidance from CISA is predicated on the following position: “While there are no specific or credible cyber threats … at this time, Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which has involved cyber-attacks on Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure organizations, may impact organizations both within and beyond the region, particularly in the wake of sanctions.”
For All Veterinary Practices — read AVMA's cybersecurity article to help:
- Take steps to reduce the likelihood of a damaging cyber intrusion
- Understand how to identify a compromised system
- Ensure that the practice is prepared to respond if an intrusion occurs
Steps Employees Can Take to Protect Themselves:
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts
- Update software and turn on automatic updates
- Think carefully before clicking on any hyperlink or opening an unsolicited attachment
- Use strong passwords and/or a password manager