An update on the threat landscape (blog.google)

Article summary

Google's Threat Analysis Group has been monitoring the threat landscape, particularly in Ukraine and Russia, and has observed activity from various threat actors, including FancyBear and Ghostwriter. These actors have been conducting phishing campaigns and DDoS attacks against Ukrainian and Polish government and military organizations. Google has been working to take action against these threats and has issued hundreds of government-backed attack warnings to Ukrainian users. The company has also expanded eligibility for its Project Shield service to protect Ukrainian government websites and other organizations from DDoS attacks.

Main themes

• Russian hacking
• cybersecurity
• geopolitics
• threat landscape
• DDoS attacks
• phishing campaigns

What commenters say

• The prevalence of Russian hacking can be attributed to the government's leniency towards hackers who do not target Russian entities.
• The US and other countries also engage in hacking and cyber malfeasance, but it is less reported in the media.
• The incentives for multinational corporations to present Russia as a lawless criminal wasteland and the US as a good global citizen are not clear.
• The cost of hacking is relatively low compared to other military adventures, making it an attractive option for countries.
• The Russian government's protection of hackers who do not target Russian entities creates a safe haven for cybercrime.
• The US intelligence agencies likely recruit hackers through various means, including online operations and math competitions.
• The media's focus on Russian hacking may be due to geopolitical biases and a lack of reporting on US and allied cyber activities.
• The true extent of hacking and cybercrime is likely underreported, with many entities paying ransoms and keeping attacks secret.