Cybersecurity Risks from an Escalating Russia–Ukraine Conflict

Tension is rising between Russia, Ukraine, and the US. Is your company’s cybersecurity at risk? Here are a few things you need to know.

News networks and social media are showing clips of Russian military forces exercising and training to fight as they warn of an imminent Russian attack against Ukraine.

Russia’s cyber-forces are less visible and could be poised to launch a new wave cyberattacks against western energy, finance and communications infrastructure. Regardless when an invasion happens, tensions will continue to rise and the cyber threat will not diminish.

Cybersecurity Risks

The consequences of the conflict in Ukraine for business — cyber, conventional, and hybrid — will have a profound impact on businesses far beyond the borders of the region. Have you evaluated whether your business is at risk? Many small businesses think they will not be affected – think again.

You are likely too late if you’re just starting to evaluate your cyber defenses. Cyber defense requires a long-term strategic investment and not just a quick fix.

The cyberthreat posed by the conflict in Ukraine is perhaps the greatest ever for U.S. companies. Russia’s invasion would result in the harshest and most severe sanctions ever imposed against it. Russia views these measures as economic warfare. Russia will not be silent, but will respond asymmetrically with its vast cyber capabilities.

Recent warning from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was issued by the CISA about the possibility of Russian cyberattacks spreading to U.S. networks. This follows previous CISA warnings regarding the dangers posed Russian cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure.

Cyber skirmishing is already in its infancy. In Ukraine, banks and government systems were attacked within the last week. U.S. companies are noticing a sharp increase in cyber probing.

Dragos CEO Rob Lee told us that “we have observed threat groups that were attributed to Russia by U.S. government agencies performing reconnaissance on U.S. industrial infrastructure, such as key electric and natural gas stations, in the recent months.

We were informed by several multinational security and intelligence departments that they anticipate Russian cyberattacks. They also assess the possibility of second- and third-order impacts on their operations.” Companies have indicated that they anticipate an increase in scams and attacks in the context of the Ukraine crisis. Risk assessments are usually dependent on whether the company has any direct links to the Ukrainian banks or other critical infrastructure.

If it’s too late to increase your cyber defense, as conflict seems imminent, then what can leaders do other than throw their arms up?

First, a cyber- or IT problem can quickly become a business problem. Firms should immediately begin to draw out, dust off, and exercise business continuity plans.

What does it look like to work in an analog world or pencil-and-paper for days, weeks or months? In a matter of seconds, 30,000 laptops belonging to Saudi Aramco were made into paperweights by hackers. Grab your pen knife, and take a look at the crisis response paint. Ask “If my IT systems fail, how will I track my inventory, manage accounts, and communicate with my organization?”

Second, examine carefully your supply chain. Hidden dependence on Ukrainian-based code writers or software engineers could pose a risk to your firm.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, more than 100 Fortune 500 companies worldwide rely at minimum partially on Ukrainian IT services. Several Ukrainian IT firms are among the top 100 global outsourcing options for IT services.

Third, connecting to vendors and peer networks can greatly increase your chances of detecting and mitigating cyber intruders. Your teams should be empowered to reach out and assist cyber and intelligence teams from peer companies and federal and local partners who are closely monitoring the same threats.

Make sure your teams are aware of their local CISA representatives and FBI field offices. Also, ensure that they are on their mailing list to keep up with alerts and warnings. To increase awareness and build a collective defense, share anomalous and malicious cyber activity with local and federal partners.

Fourth, instill security mindset among your employees. Enabling multifactor authentication, which makes you 99 percent less likely to be hacked, patching old vulnerabilities, making passwords strong and remembering that phishing remains the most common attack vector for sophisticated adversaries, all of these things can help to improve overall security.

Cybersecurity is closely linked to overall business security. Cyber threats are often a problem for corporate leaders. However, IT security must be considered alongside geopolitical risk assessments.

It is important that teams working on cybersecurity, geopolitical risks, and physical security work together, and not in silos. One case involved a corporate intelligence manager who said that he had done a joint assessment of Russia-Ukraine with his cyber intelligence team — it was the first time they had ever worked together in this way. This case highlighted the importance of pre-existing relationships, and it prompted new levels in cooperation.

It may not be possible to build relationships during crisis. It is better to establish communication and cooperate before disaster strikes.

Corporate resilience, disaster recovery, and business continuity plans are crucial in times of crisis. These require all company attention and solutions.

It is time to take out your contingency plans, test them, and see if they are up-to-date, realistic, and suitable for the purpose, with war in Europe imminent. Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to keep your business and network secure with the help of IT experts.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Fayetteville, NC 28304
(910) 745-7776
http://manageditservicesfayetteville.com

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Common Cybersecurity Weaknesses Of Businesses

Your business cannot afford being a victim to internet criminals and cybersecurity threats. Your business could be exposed if it is harmed by a weak security system.

Cyberattacks are more common than ever and they are becoming more frequent. They are more common in small and medium-sized businesses.

A study found that 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses. Only 14% of small businesses are prepared for hackers.

Cyberattacks are not limited to small businesses. Identity theft can happen to anyone. It is important to be aware and alert for cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity refers to the protection of computer and network systems against harm and theft, including data, software, and hardware. It also helps businesses to find a way out of disruption.

Cybersecurity is not just about the internet or software attacks. Few people consider the physical components of computers. Cyberattacks can cause serious damage to the device.

Cybersecurity Protection Elements

Organizations must plan their cybersecurity efforts across the entire information system in order to have an impact on cybersecurity. These are the components of cybersecurity:

Network security: Protecting a company’s network against unwanted threats and attacks.

Application security: Continuous testing and updating is required to ensure that programs are safe.

Endpoint security: This is for companies that have remote access to their business network. The system can allow cybercriminals to take the data. Remote access to company network can be protected by endpoint security.

Data security: This is the protection of company and customer data within networks and applications.

Database and infrastructure security: Secures data and databases that are part of the company’s network.

Cloud security: Protects files and data stored in the cloud. This is a complex task because data protection requires a completely online environment.

ERP Cybersecurity Strategy

Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP, systems allow employees to collaborate more effectively and communicate with each other through a single database. Companies can run their business processes by using ERP systems.

These include supply chain management, manufacturing, finance, human resource management, and marketing. This system stores data that can be used for planning, decision-making and operational management.

ERP is a tool that can be used by partners and businesses involved in product development, sales campaigns, mergers and acquisitions. This means that more data flows and is available to many users. An ERP’s data flow will increase, exposing business information systems and software to more vulnerabilities.

ERP security is not often a primary consideration when choosing a provider. In recent years, ERP has become more vulnerable. Serious disruptions to ERP systems can cause financial and operational problems that could cost you your company time and money.

Cyberattack risks can be mitigated by an ERP system strategy. These are eight other cybersecurity vulnerabilities that businesses need to be aware of.

Cybersecurity’s Top 8 Common Weaknesses

Businesses can work with cybersecurity teams to achieve the following:

Unsecured Networks

Cybercriminals can gain access to your network if it isn’t secured. They can access all systems and devices connected to the network once they are infiltrated.

Unsecured Communication Channels

Companies exchange sensitive information frequently, so it is important to protect all communication channels. An encrypted email platform can be a great way to communicate with clients securely.

Old Systems

Hardware engineers and software developers are constantly looking for security threats that could harm users. They patch the problem to fix it once they have found it. To make a patch work, hardware and software must be updated at the device level.

Businesses can be put at risk by outdated systems. Software and devices can be set to automatically update to receive any patches that are available to correct known security flaws.

Unknown Bugs

Cybercriminals can gain easy access to user accounts through bugs in an app. This could be due to a bug in the software programming interface that integrates two apps. You could also be experiencing a problem with software from a third-party.

It is impossible to detect and prevent every bug. You can improve security by scanning your applications regularly and carefully vetting vendors.

Cybersecurity strategy lacking

Many businesses don’t have a comprehensive strategy to address their cybersecurity needs. Many businesses don’t have a high-end strategy for their cybersecurity needs.

Strategic approaches set the scene for security priorities and serve as a guide to anticipating and responding in case of attacks.

Inadequacy of monitoring

You should monitor traffic and be proactive in scanning for ransomware and distributed denial-of-service attacks. Businesses are at risk from these types of intrusions if they don’t have proper monitoring. Modern monitoring also integrates artificial intelligence for vigilance.

Employee Training is a Problem

90% of data breaches are due to human error. When an employee gives a password to another person, this is called a “password swap”. They then gain access to company data which opens the door to attacks.

Employees are taught best practices in cybersecurity by training them. They learn how to use strong passwords and identify attacks in advance.

Companies should ensure that employees receive consistent training in order to retain information.

Internet of Things and Multiple Connect Points

One of many technologies that companies can use to leverage their business is the IoT (Internet of Things). This could involve multiple connections to a single network. IoT offers businesses greater productivity and efficiency but it also presents vulnerabilities.

To mitigate threats, it is important to be prepared for remote access security threats.

Final Cybersecurity Measures

Security risks should be communicated to the entire workforce as part of a company’s cybersecurity efforts.

Employees are also the last and most important line of defense. A strong team and collaboration between the upper management is key to business security. When there is a disconnect between operations and teams, common weaknesses can often be present.

You can take a stand on cybersecurity and embed it in your operations. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding responsibility.

A security-minded, ownership-focused culture is key to ensuring resilience. For cybersecurity initiatives to be effective, organizations must make changes and show constant commitment.

Awareness and preparation are key to successful implementation. Companies that document and test risk mitigation plans reduce risk and increase client confidence.

Prevent data breaches

Organizations must continue to plan for cybersecurity maturity and risk planning. These essentials will ensure that your organization is agile, adaptable, and alert to emerging threats.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to boost your company’s online security measures to prevent cyberattacks.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Fayetteville, NC 28304
(910) 745-7776
http://manageditservicesfayetteville.com

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston