Russia could unleash “huge amounts of cyberattacks” in an attempt to divide the West, security chiefs warned on Thursday.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) a part of GCHQ, urged businesses, councils, and government departments to step up their cyber defences “to stay ahead of potential threat” facing the country. The alert was in response to a multitude of attacks in the Ukraine, including a significant attack against government websites and the discovery of destructive malware in Ukrainian systems.
Paul Chichester – Director of operation said that the Uk had observed a pattern of Russian behavior over several years and the incidents in the Ukraine” bear the hallmarks of similar Russian behavior observed before” Although no present threats to the UK have been identified, the NCSC has urged organisations to build resilience by checking backups and ensuring online defences are working. It also emphasised the importance of an effective incident response plan and enabling multi-factor authentication. A senior defence source said the UK was braced for “huge amounts oof cyber-attack” to happen in the days leading up to the possible invasion of Ukraine.
There are concerns that if Russia did invade it was “likely” they would “ensure we all knew of our potential vulnerabilities, including the cyber domain, according to a defense source. Cormac Smith, a former UK official who advised the Ukrainian government for two years said it was “very likely” Russia would carry. Out cyber-attacks on other countries to “sow panic, spread chaos and disrupt communication with Ukraine.”
He said: “Clearly the Kremlin have form on this and cyberattacks are one of the fundamental tools in their hybrid war toolbox. He said such a move “might not be very smart” as it could strengthen Natos resolve. This month Ukraine was bit by a massive cyber-attack that knocked out key government websites. A Ukrainian military source said: “I think the attacks they’ve conducted was just a rehearsal and Ukraine is still working to discover the full scale.