Ukraine Says It Prevented An Advanced Russian Cyber ​​Attack

Ukrainian officials stressed that the attackers may have hacked into the power company’s systems in early February, but some details of the attack are not yet known, including how the attackers got into the company’s systems.

Authorities refused to disclose the company damaged by the breach and the area where its substations are located, citing fears of ongoing cyberattacks.

“It is clear that the offensive team, the attackers, had enough time to prepare very thoroughly and planned the execution at a sophisticated, high-quality level,” said Victor Zhora, Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Cyber ​​Security Agency. State Private Communications and Information Protection Service. “It seems we are very lucky to be able to respond to this cyberattack in a timely manner.”

According to Mr. Zhora, Ukrainian companies in the financial, media and energy sectors have been regularly subjected to cyberattacks since the start of the war. His agency said that since the invasion began, Russia has recorded three times more attacks than it had tracked the previous year.

Cybersecurity researchers said the use of malware has become a persistent problem in Ukraine since the war began, with attacks hitting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, including government agencies responsible for food safety, finance and law enforcement.

Hackers have also penetrated communications systems, including satellite communications services and telecom companies. Investigations into these violations It continues, although cybersecurity analysts and US officials believe Russia is responsible. Other hacking groups, including one affiliated with Belarus, hacked into media companies’ systems and social media accounts of high-profile military officials. trying to spread disinformation He claimed that Ukraine was planning to surrender.

“They target critical infrastructure; “However, these attempts were not that sophisticated compared to today’s latest attack.”