Potential Cyber Attacks

[missy]

Are you concerned?
We are vulnerable.

Biden given options for unprecedented cyberattacks against Russia

The options presented include disrupting the internet across Russia, shutting off power and stopping trains in their tracks.

www.nbcnews.com

Fears Rise of Potential Russian Cyberattacks on US, Allies Over Sanctions

If past is precedent, the cyber impact of the war in Ukraine could be broad and bruising, experts say.

www.darkreading.com

Shields up: How a possible cyberattack could affect Americans and how to prepare

As national security experts warn of potential cyberattacks from Russia, tech experts say organizations and everyday Americans can prepare now.

abcnews.go.com

 

[kenny]

Of course I'm concerned.
But when it comes to cyberattacks of our personal devices, I have one only one device connected to the internets, my desktop puter.

So I think my risk is small compared to the usual American, who has 17 thousand 'smart' devices - in addition to their Internet-connected vibrator - all connected to the cloud.

 

[missy]

I’m also concerned about our country’s infrastructure . I mean personally sure but more importantly how will this affect our country and all the people.

 

[Karl_K]

not greatly
Yes, in some areas not so much in others.
1 person on a backhoe could do 10x the damage as cyber attacks.

 

[kenny]

I’m also concerned about our country’s infrastructure . I mean personally sure but more importantly how will this affect our country and all the people.

Thank you for the clarification.
Yes, I'm definitely extremely concerned about our country's infrastructure.
So much now is dependent on fast and smooth digital transfer of data.

Of course I'm not an island.
My personal everything falls apart if our system crumbles.

 

[missy]

Thank you for the clarification.
Yes, I'm definitely extremely concerned about our country's infrastructure.
So much now is dependent on fast and smooth digital transfer of data.

I'm not an island.
My personal everything falls apart if our system crumbles.

In many ways (in my mind) this has the potential to be like Covid. Meaning I had no clue what was about to happen in the autumn of 2019 and BAM Covid happened. it affected/affects the world. Changed us forever. And here we are again. At a crossroads and we don’t know how this is going to play out and how long it will take to right ourselves should it happen. Very scary.

 

[missy]

not greatly
Yes, in some areas not so much in others.
1 person on a backhoe could do 10x the damage as cyber attacks.

I hope you’re right Karl. About this not being a huge threat to our country.

 

[Karl_K]

I hope you’re right Karl. About this not being a huge threat to our country.

It is a threat but not as much as the media loves to play it up. Always look at who is talking. Ask someone from a company selling snake oil if there is a problem and its always a huge problem.
However it is not very likely to happen on a large scale as it achieves nothing other than propaganda and pissing off Americans which any historian will tell you is a big mistake.

 

[missy]

It is a threat but not as much as the media loves to play it up. Always look at who is talking. Ask someone from a company selling snake oil if there is a problem and its always a huge problem.
However it is not very likely to happen on a large scale as it achieves nothing other than propaganda and pissing off Americans which any historian will tell you is a big mistake.

Well I might have thought that before Covid but that was a threat we didn't take seriously til too late. So I am always on guard when I hear about potential issues like this now. But yes hopefully you are right Karl.

 

[LilAlex]

Yes, but I think the US capacity to inflict cyber-mischief is way more than anyone appreciates.

OTOH, even Anonymous is wreaking havoc.

And: I don't keep everything at one brokerage . I guess that's like saying I'm safe because I don't keep everything in one room .

 

[vintageinjune]

I'm actually in college now for business management and cyber security and yeah, there are some worrisome issues.

Thankfully, most attacks can be prevented with strong information security policies and proper, continuous training for those using the systems.

I think most organization received their wake up calls over the last few years and are implementing stronger, multi-tiered systems, with back ups and contingency plans.

Florida municipalities had a rough time of it in 2019, getting locked out of systems, preventing emergency calls, and in one case a hacker tried to raise something in the water by 11,000% percent- it was caught and fixed before it could impact the public, but what if it hadn't? Hundreds or thousands of people could have been seriously injured or killed. Scary, but due to having proper systems in place (including a live human being on site for monitoring), crisis averted.

The attacks are going to happen, there will be some impact, but I'd be surprised if it ends up being more than isolated incidents scattered through the country.

 

[lilmosun]

I don't know the likelihood of happening but disagree that it isn't a real threat with possibly huge consequences. Whether it be nuclear or cyber - using today's weapons can cause mass/widespread destruction unlike anything the world has seen - a no-win situation keeping those who have them in check.

Before recent events, the impact of a major cyber attack against our infrastructure/banking system has always been in the back of my mind as more likely than tanks/missiles here in the US. We relay on a large network of systems and they aren't all as secure as we think.

The article mentions the Colonial Pipeline attack. The impact was limited only because it was just a region and Colonial Pipeline paid the attackers the next day to get back their systems. Imagine if there was a coordinated attack across our country where the goal wasn't financial gain but to ruin a country.

Keep in mind that Russia's goal is territorial - not to wipe out Ukraine. We would be seeing a totally different war - one like we've never seen before.

 

[SparklieBug]

Are you concerned?
We are vulnerable.

Yup. Concerned. We are all vulnerable in infrastructure. Longterm blackout of the power grid? Havoc. Supply-chain interruptions? Havoc. Anything where technology is concerned, not just PCs, smart phones—eg., does your vehicle use computer chips? Havoc.

In the province where we live, there were recent flash floods that wiped out all the highways, rail lines, and pipelines to the coast—which is where a huge amount of goods enter the country/continent on the west side. There were food shortages, fuel shortages, medical shortages and so on. This was for a relatively short period of time. All manner of funds and manpower were applied to repair the main highways and rail lines.

Aside from human effects, farmers with livestock were on the brink of running out of feed.

We were so grateful to live in an area that wasn't affected at all, save for twits hoarding food/paper goods. Again.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I’m also concerned about our country’s infrastructure . I mean personally sure but more importantly how will this affect our country and all the people.

Good point Missy
recently one of our health boards up north got cyber attached (not far how far 'east' the attack came from) but it put a big city hospital almost out of action for a could of days

 

[Karl_K]

N.Gas/oil supplies to Germany are a much larger concern to me if the Russians cut them off a large portion of the country is going to lose heat and power.
They can also hurt the rest of Europe but not as bad as Germany.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

N.Gas/oil supplies to Germany are a much larger concern to me if the Russians cut them off a large portion of the country is going to lose heat and power.
They can also hurt the rest of Europe but not as bad as Germany.

This is another very very concerning reality. Largely homemade and a very complex issue (it's been drastically worsened by the German décision to get out of nuclear power plants upon huge pressure from the "green" environmentalist movement. Who had some very real concerns BUT no backup plan. Which left Germany with no nuclear electricity but - wait for it - yeah highly polluting COAL POWER PLANTS and a big dependance on Russian gas). I just wanted to smash my head against a wall when that decision was made. It was purely PR. "We cut us off of the bad bad bad nuclear power -yay us!!"

(Eeeerrm, now we're building new coal plants and polluting even more...and buying nuclear Power from France... That doesn't count, right? Nevermind...bye)

I keep thinking "thank goodness we're having a mild winter and it's march soon".


OTOH I do think the cyber attacks and just "simple" trolling misinformation are a separate but equally concerning point

 

[missy]

"

Watch Out for Cyberattacks Following Russia's Invasion of Ukraine​

— American Hospital Association is advising leaders and staff to remain vigilant​

by Jennifer Henderson, Enterprise & Investigative Writer, MedPage Today February 25, 2022

As the U.S. government responds to Russia's invasion of Ukraine with economic and military sanctions, the American Hospital Association (AHA) is telling health systems to keep their guard up for retaliatory cyberattacks.
Specifically, there are three concerns: that hospitals and health systems may be targeted directly by Russian-sponsored cyber actors; that hospitals and health systems may become incidental victims of Russian-deployed malware or destructive ransomware; and that a cyberattack could disrupt hospitals' services.

"AHA's concerns are heightened by the Russian military's previous behavior of utilizing cyber weapons in support of military actions against Ukraine ... The malware was initially launched against Ukraine and subsequently spread globally, disrupting operations at a major U.S. pharmaceutical company, a major U.S. health care communications company and U.S. hospitals," the AHA stated in an advisory.
Last week, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a warning to all U.S. organizations, regardless of size.
Yet the healthcare sector is no stranger to targeted cyberattacks.
Since 2018, the Ryuk ransomware attack has wreaked havoc on at least 235 hospitals and inpatient psychiatric facilities as well as dozens of other healthcare facilities. The result: suspended surgeries, delayed medical care, and the loss of millions of dollars, the Wall Street Journal reported last June.
A 2021 ransomware attack on Scripps Health of San Diego counts among other recent cyber threats to U.S. hospitals.

"We are on alert based on FBI and other alerts for additional cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure, especially health and government infrastructure," said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health, in response to AHA's new advisory.
"This is a national issue -- not company issue -- and we hope the government will take these attacks as terrorist attacks on the country and not just hacker attacks," he told MedPage Today.
To help alleviate current threats, the AHA recommended that hospitals and health systems review federal guidance on risk mitigation procedures -- including increased network monitoring for unusual traffic or activity -- as well as increase staff awareness of the greater risk for receiving malware-laden phishing emails.
The AHA further urged geo-fencing for all inbound and outbound traffic originating from, and related to, Ukraine and its surrounding region, as well as identifying all internal and third-party mission-critical clinical and operational services and technology. For the latter, hospitals and health systems should implement 4- to 6-week business continuity plans and well-practiced downtime procedures, the AHA said.
It also recommended checking network and data backups, and making sure that multiple copies exist -- off-line, network segmented, on-premises, and in the cloud, with at least one immutable copy.
"

 

[Lookinagain]

I'm thinking of keeping some extra cash on hand in case the banking system goes out and I need more cash than usual to buy things (assuming "things" are available). I typically use cards for everything so generally don't have much cash.