Russian cyberattacks in NATO countries have increased by 300% in 2022 compared to 2020, and by 250% in Ukraine over the same period, according to a report from a cybersecurity company acquired by Google on Thursday February 16.
“Cyber operations by Russian government-backed attackers ramped up in 2021, prior to invasion” from Ukraine on February 24, 2022, notes this report from cybersecurity firm Mandiant, recently acquired by Google Cloud. “In 2022, Russia increased targeting of users in Ukraine by 250% compared to 2020. Targeting of users from NATO countries increased by more than 300% during the same period”he says.
Pro-Moscow hackers “used destructive malware to disrupt and degrade Ukraine’s military and government capabilities”writes Mandiant, also describing attacks on civilian infrastructure to undermine Ukrainian confidence in national facilities. “We observed more destructive cyberattacks in Ukraine during the first four months of 2022 than in the previous eight years”says the report.
Hacked sites, information warfare, sabotage of critical infrastructures, espionage… The whole cyber panoply has been used by both sides in the war in Ukraine, without being very visible or having a decisive influence on the fighting at this stage. .