CISA assesses that the United States and European nations may experience disruptive and defacement attacks against websites in an attempt to sow chaos and societal discord on February 24, 2023, the anniversary of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
CISA urges organizations and individuals to increase their cyber vigilance in response to this potential threat.
Past cyberattacks from Russia have included a range of tactics such as:
- Phishing attacks: This involves sending fraudulent emails or messages that appear legitimate, with the aim of tricking the recipient into providing sensitive information, such as login credentials or credit card numbers.
- Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks: This type of attack overwhelms a website or network with a flood of traffic, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users.
- Malware attacks: Malware can include viruses, trojans, and ransomware, which can infect a system and cause damage, steal sensitive information, or extort a ransom payment.
- Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): This refers to a long-term, targeted cyber-attack campaign that involves a high degree of sophistication and coordination. APTs are designed to gain access to sensitive data or systems, often through a combination of social engineering and technical exploits.
It’s important to note that Russian cyber attacks are constantly evolving, and it’s difficult to predict the exact tactics that any particular attacker might use. However, the US government and many private sector organizations invest significant resources in preventing and responding to cyber attacks, including those from foreign adversaries.
In response to the heightened geopolitical tensions resulting from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, CISA maintains public cybersecurity resources, including Shields Up—a one-stop webpage that provides resources to increase organizational vigilance and keep the public informed about current cybersecurity threats. CISA recommends that all organizations review and consider implementing the below guidance:
- DDoS Attack Guidance for Organizations and Federal Agencies
- Shields Up webpage, which includes guidance on:
- Increasing organizational vigilance
- Implementing cybersecurity best practices
- Increasing resilience and preparing for rapid response
- Lowering the threshold for threat and information sharing
