From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Cyberattacks surrounding Ukraine crisis reach all-time high — Israeli report
Cyberattacks surrounding the Ukraine crisis have reached an all-time high over the past week, according to new research by Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Software.
A study by the company’s research division, Check Point Research, says cyberattacks on government and military sectors globally were up 21% over the past week, compared to the period before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, and 19% higher than the first two weeks of the war. The global average of cyber attacks on government organizations alone was 14% higher, the study says.
These attacks were intercepted, Check Point says.
Average weekly attacks on the Ukrainian government and military sectors were 20% higher over the past seven days than before the military assault on the country, and 13% higher than the first two weeks of the war, according to the research. Check Point noted that the number of active digital networks in the country has dropped significantly, by 27% over the past three weeks.
In Israel, researchers report an increase of 22% in attempted cyberattacks on government and military organizations since late February, with an average of 1,715 weekly attacks.
“We see a focused effort on attacking government/military targets, possibly part of diplomatic impact surrounding the war, and also taking advantage of higher interest which allows pulling off phishing attacks,” the researchers write.
On Monday evening, Israeli government websites were downed for over an hour due to a major cyber assault, officials said.
Israeli officials did not immediately say who was behind the attack, but some media reports were quick to point the finger at Iran.
