Ukraine is no stranger to the world of cyber espionage and malware. In 2015, a series of high-profile cyber-attacks targeting the country’s infrastructure and leading businesses wreaked havoc in the country. Fast-forward to 2019, and this sense of cyber insecurity has reached a frenzied height.
According to Microsoft’s annual Security Intelligence Report, Ukraine was targeted by more data-wiping malware than any other country in the world. Data-wiping malware is one of the most dangerous forms of cyber-attacks as it can incapacitate a system and delete any data stored on it. This server destruction can take a hour to accomplish, costing the company both time and money.
A look at the cyber-attacks gives an inkling of the severity of the problem. The two most destructive cyber-attacks were carried out in 2017 and 2019. The 2017 attack was aimed at “Ukraine’s public transport, energy, and banking infrastructure” while ”the 2019 attack by a more sophisticated strain of malware targeting larger business” caused an estimated $10 million worth of damages.
While the attackers remain unknown, security experts point to Russia as the most likely suspect. If true, this could be seen as retaliation against Kiev for implementing tougher sanctions on Moscow.
This continuous onslaught of cyber-attacks led the Ukrainian government to launch fresh efforts to beef up its cyber-security. This includes increasing the interest of cyber-security in the educational curriculum and introducing new legislation to combat cyber-crime. Moreover, companies like Microsoft and Anti-Malware have partnered with Ukrainian security organizations to protect themselves from cyber-attacks.
As it stands, these efforts have not been enough to combat the threat of data-wiping malware. These attacks serve as a stark reminder of how cyber-security should never be taken lightly.
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