The Cyber Defense eMagazine November Edition for 2023

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However, many corporate cyber teams do not appear to be looking at these threat groups as seriously as they should, putting their companies on the back foot, across a range of geographies. I argue that this stems from a limited understanding of the geopolitical and security landscape and the developments spawning these groups, as well as a weak grasp of how, when and why they operate, and who they are intent on pursuing. Real-world events – politics, war, sanctions – arguably exert the biggest influence over the tactics and techniques employed by hacktivists. The Ukraine war is a case in point. It has led to the creation of new – and the re-emergence of dormant – hacker groups. Each side in the conflict is now able to draw on cyber actors willing to fight for their respective cause. Ukraine’s volunteer ‘cyber army’ has impacted key Russian sectors, while pro-Russia groups have launched widespread DDoS attack campaigns against European states over their support for Ukraine. The latter have hit sectors such as banking, finance, energy, and transport. And, recently, they have upped the ante by explicitly threatening to carry out what they describe as destructive hacks against Western financial entities, in an attempt to paralyse global payment systems. While most pro-Russia hacktivist groups stalking corporations do not appear to be capable of inflicting significant damage or major financial loss, they nonetheless present a persistent disruptive threat. The groups’ goals are to exert pressure and embarrassment, often making demands aimed at drawing businesses deeper into their line of fire. It has forced more and more decision-makers to adopt a defensive posture, for instance through enhanced DDoS protections. Such is the danger they pose that the UK National Cyber Security Centre this year warned that these state-aligned groups intended to launch “destructive and disruptive attacks”. As a way of boosting their profile, hacktivists have also turned to brazen, coercive tactics and threats to pressure their victims. This summer, the hacktivist group ‘Anonymous Sudan’, which supports Russia, claimed responsibility for DDoS attacks against a major European airline and Microsoft365 services. And the prolific pro-Russian ‘Killnet’ collective has escalated its threats, warning of physical attacks (such as the burning of offices and the singling out of employees) of a target organisation. While such threats are probably overblown, they are effective because of the psychological pressure they can place on companies and their staff. States’ leveraging of hacktivists complicates the threat to businesses. There has been growing evidence of collusion between the Russian state and pro-Russia groups since the Ukraine war broke out in February 2022. The cybersecurity firm Mandiant said earlier this year that it had identified three “so-called hacktivist groups” that appeared to be working with – or operating as a front for – the Russian intelligence agencies. An unverified, leaked US intelligence report this year revealed coordination between a pro- Russia hacktivist group and the Russian FSB domestic security service in an operation that could potentially have damaged a Canadian gas facility. Many corporations do not have a sense of the hacktivist threat they face until they have been targeted. However, with a greater understanding of the geopolitical landscape, cybersecurity teams would be better equipped to identify and track developments or indicators that might place their organisation in hacktivist crosshairs. A whole series of events during the Ukraine war have sparked a near-immediate response Cyber Defense eMagazine – November 2023 Edition 64 Copyright © 2023, Cyber Defense Magazine. All rights reserved worldwide.
y pro-Russia hacktivists. These have included DDoS attack campaigns on specific countries, sectors and firms. The most likely triggers for pro-Russia campaigns include the following developments: new sanctions packages against Russia; disputes over trade or transit of Russian goods; announcements of significant military assistance to Ukraine; European countries’ expulsion of the Russian diplomats; the removal of Soviet monuments, particularly in eastern European countries; and approaching national elections in North America and Europe. Regarding the latter, pro-Russia hacktivists will almost certainly see the upcoming Polish elections on 15 October as a prime opportunity to strike at entities and companies there. All the evidence suggests that the hacktivist menace is not going to go away anytime soon. Organisations not only need to become alert to the dangers but must also try to anticipate them. In so doing, they can then begin to mitigate their impact. The fast-moving and dynamic way in which these new cyber threats evolve means cyber professionals require an edge. Geopolitical intelligence has a critical role to play here. Having the capacity to forecast real-world risks – such as revolution, insurrection, and war – and simultaneously identify ensuing cyber threats will increasingly become critical to the protection of organisations. About the Author Manish Gohil is a Senior Associate covering cyber risks at Dragonfly, a geopolitical and security risk consultancy firm based in London. He has several years of experience in helping organisations anticipate geopolitical risks globally, including topics on how real-world events impact the cyber threat landscape. Manish previously led coverage on the South Asia region on political and security issues, and is a Certified Security Management Professional. manish.gohil@Dragonflyintelligence.com, https://www.dragonflyintelligence.com/ Cyber Defense eMagazine – November 2023 Edition 65 Copyright © 2023, Cyber Defense Magazine. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Artificial Deception: The State Of
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OT Cybersecurity: Safeguarding Buil
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The Crumbling Castle --------------
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@CYBERDEFENSEMAG CYBER DEFENSE eMAG
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Cyber Defense eMagazine - November
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Page 47 and 48: prioritize a Secure Software Develo
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Page 57 and 58: The same risks associated with USB
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Page 99 and 100: About the Author Sean Newman is the
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eing noticed in a practice and some
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In Pursuit of a Passwordless Future
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than to guess their password, but i
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configurable data privacy. These bu
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It’s Time to Tear Down the Barrie
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Is it Time to Re-evaluate Your Thre
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Building For a More Secure Future:
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OAuth 1.0 to OAuth 2.0, or increasi
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About the Author Jeremy Butteriss a
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which helped feed the development o
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Protecting Your Business and Person
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Mitigating Phishing with Domain Nam
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About the Author Brian Lonergan, VP
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adoption is more than just an IT tr
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North Korea-Russia Summit A new all
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factors on both sides of the confli
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That being said, the Russian regime
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Protecting Critical Infrastructure
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spared from the wrath of Russian ha
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About the Author Richard Staynings
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The Illusion of Ruthless Prioritiza
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Ditch the Worry - Switch to Secure
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others are continuing to increase a
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Shifting Left Means Shifting Smart:
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triggers to allow for a more standa
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• The Rise of Remote Work: The CO
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About the Author Jaye Tillson is a
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In terms of prioritization, out of
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Three Things to Know About the New
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For example, if a security leader n
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The Tech Jobs That AI Will Not Disr
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Examples of tech jobs that will sur
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Free Monthly Cyber Defense eMagazin
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