Organizations Urged To Immediately Strengthen Cybersecurity Defences Against Potential Russian-Backed Cyber Attacks

On February 24, 2022, Russian forces initiated a series of deadly attacks on Ukrainian cities, resulting in an ongoing military conflict. Preceding these physical attacks were a number of cybersecurity attacks directed at Ukrainian organizations and infrastructure, which have occupied a growing role in the Russian military playbook both in Ukraine and in other countries. Western governments have imposed a suite of economic sanctions against Russia as a result of the physical attack on Ukraine.

On March 21, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden warned that Russian-backed hacking groups could attempt to retaliate against these western sanctions by undertaking a campaign of cybersecurity attacks against western organizations. "One of the tools [Putin is] most likely to use ... is cyber attacks," noted President Biden. Citing U.S. intelligence leads, the President cautioned that the "magnitude of Russia's cyber capacity is fairly consequential and it's coming," and