A cyberattack that slowed down satellite communications in Ukraine in the hours before the Feb attacks. 24 was the task of the Russian government, the United States and the European nations announced on Tuesday, formally prosecuting attacks on Pentagon officials and the private sector. because it poses a new threat to global communication systems.
In a joint statement, the governments blamed Moscow but did not explicitly state an organization that made a serious effort to shut down Ukrainian communications. But U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity about the details of the findings, said the Russian military intelligence agency, G.R.U. – the same group responsible for the 2016 Democratic National Committee robbery and a series of U.S. attacks. and Ukraine.
cyberattack attack
“This unacceptable cyberattack attack is another example of Russia’s continuing pattern of reckless behavior on cyberspace, which also forms an integral part of its illegal and baseless attack on Ukraine,” JosepBorrellFontelles, a senior European Union official, said in a statement. “Cyberattacks targeted in Ukraine, including critical infrastructure, could spread to other countries and cause systematic consequences that put the safety of European citizens at risk.”The attack focused on a program run by Viasat, a California company that provides high-speed satellite communications services – and was heavily used by the Ukrainian government. The attack came just weeks after some Ukrainian government websites were attacked by “wiper” software that destroyed data.
satellite-basedhijackers
Viasat’s attack appears to have been aimed at disrupting Ukraine’s command and control of its troops during the first critical hours of the Russian invasion, US and European officials said. The robbery also cut off thousands of Ukrainian and European citizens online. It even disrupted the operation of thousands of wind turbines in Germany that relied on Viasat technology to monitor conditions and control the network of wind turbines. However, those early conclusions were impressive: In order to eliminate satellite-based satellites, hijackers have never had to attack satellites themselves. Instead, they focus on ground-based modems, satellite-connected devices. One government official said that the dangers of such programs are “a sensational call,” raising concerns at the American intelligence agency Pentagon, who fears that Russia or China could use similar risks to other important communications programs.
U. S officials warns against online weapons
U.S. and European officials have warned that online weapons are often unpredictable, and Viasat hacking scandals have shown how quickly cyberattack can deteriorate beyond its intended purpose. In 2017, a Russian cyberattack in Ukraine, called NotPetya, quickly spread worldwide, disrupting the operations of Maersk, the Danish Shipping conglomerate, and other major companies.
As with other critical infrastructure attacks, such as the 2021 Colonial Pipeline robbery, Viasat’s robbery reveals a weak point in the vital service exploited by Russian hackers without much expertise. The colonial Pipeline attack led to one face-to-face meeting between President Biden and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Geneva last June. At that meeting, Mr. Biden warned Mr. Putin against ransomware or other major US infrastructure attacks. But the Viasat attack, while targeted at an American company, did not affect the American coast.
cyberattack attack on Viasat
Officials in the United States and Ukraine have long believed that Russia was the main culprit in the cyberattack attack on Viasat, but they have not “officially” blamed the incident on Russia. Although the American authorities reached a conclusion long ago, they wanted European nations to take the lead, as the invasion had a dramatic decline in Europe but not in the United States. Unlike previous malware, known as VPNFilter and designed to destroy certain computer programs, AcidRain was created as a multi-function tool that can be easily used against a variety of purposes, the researchers said. In 2018, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation named the Russian G.R.U. you have a responsibility to create a VPNFilter program that is not computer-friendly.
AcidRain malware is “a common solution, with a horrible sense of the word,” says Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, chief research analyst at SentinelOne. “They can take this tomorrow too, if they want to attack U.S. routers or modems, AcidRain will work.”
U.S. officials have warned that Russia could attack significant US infrastructure and urged companies to tighten their online defenses. The US has also assisted Ukraine in detecting and responding to Russian cyberattack attacks, the State Department said.
The United Kingdom has said it will continue to help Ukraine avoid cyberattacks. “We will continue to publicize Russia’s misconduct and the relentless violence of the world, the sea and cyberspace, and ensure that it reacts to the consequences,” said Liz Truss, Britain’s foreign secretary.”All countries should coordinate their efforts to stop the attacker, so that they can continue to attack and be held accountable for their actions,” a spokesman for Ukraine’s security and intelligence services said in a statement regarding the naming of Viasat. eRussia. “Only sanctions, organized work, awareness of public institutions, businesses and citizens can help us achieve this goal and achieve real peace online.”
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