An extensive espionage campaign is being carried out by the Russian government. It has been possible to trace countless activities directly to Moscow, most of which might alter the course of history. Can they, however, find you? And what steps can you take to ensure your safety? Russia is engaged in cyberattacks as well as cyber espionage, both of which may threaten you.
Kremlin’s Connection To Cyber Warfare and Espionage
The goal of cyber warfare is to cause harm to an adversary nation. For instance, electrical grids, media broadcasters, and government agencies may all be targeted in this way. While traditional warfare (such as bringing in a military) may typically do the same degree of harm, a well-targeted and effective cyber warfare operation accomplishes it for far less money.
Many types of targeted cyber warfare assaults have been traced back to Moscow. About 200,000 Ukrainians were left without electricity as a result of the 2015 assault on the country’s power system, while the 2018 Winter Olympics facilities in South Korea were targeted, as were the Ukrainian administration and corporate networks right before Russia invaded the country in Feb 2022.
Additionally, cyber warfare is used for political purposes. Shaping political procedures in Russia has a distinct taste. Among their most notable achievements are the 2016 United States presidential election along with the Brexit referendum. The results of both trials were likely altered by Russia’s attempts to sway public sentiment, which were discovered in investigations into both instances.
Many high-profile operations have been attributed to Russia’s hacking activity. Russia’s “Cozy Bear” gang targeted multiple US federal entities in 2020, for instance (including the Commerce and Energy, departments of Treasury, and the National Nuclear Security Administration). Most likely, this was done in order to get sensitive data.
Targeted assaults on high-profile individuals and organizations have also been reported by Russia’s intelligence services. They trick people into unwittingly disclosing personal information or downloading and installing hazardous programs. These attacks are termed spear phishing.
So are they after me personally?
Cyber warfare, as well as cyber espionage, are well-documented Russian activities. To put it another way, they’re capable of having a wide impact on a large population. It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that high-profile targets or people privy to very valuable information would be the primary targets of assaults like the ones I just described.
As long as you’re perceived as having anything of operational importance to Moscow, Russia appears to be ready to put in the effort to attack you in measure. Russia, on the other hand, has a history of indiscriminate assaults that may have an impact on everyone.
