The FBI predicted in 2012 that organized cybercrime against corporations would soon overtake terrorism as the biggest threat to the United States. In the digital battleground ten years later, cyberwarfare is a constant, and we witness it in real time. Early in 2022, as tensions between Russia and Ukraine reached a breaking point, cyberattacks came under intense scrutiny from the security community—and for good cause.

The largest fixed-line telecommunications provider in Ukraine, Ukrtelecom, was the target of a destructive and sophisticated cyberattack in March 2022 that severely disrupted its connectivity on a countrywide level. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) of Ukraine conducted research at the time that showed there had been 60 coordinated cyberattacks, the majority of which had been aimed at information collection and disrupting communication systems. Cyberespionage will continue to exist.

But first, what is Cyberwarfare?
Attacks on computer systems of nations or institutions are considered cyberwarfare and are done with the goal of destabilizing, destroying, or harming infrastructure.

What Kinds of Cyberwarfare Exist?

Sabotage
Once sensitive information has been identified, companies must ascertain any potential threats to this data. Insider threats or malicious insiders like angry employees or careless employees are examples of third parties who would wish to steal the data, competitors who could gain an advantage by stealing information, and other parties.

Espionage
Spying on another nation to obtain secrets is referred to as espionage. In terms of cyber warfare, this can entail utilizing a spear-fishing assault or botnet to infiltrate a computer before obtaining crucial data.

Attack via Denial-of-Service
In a denial-of-service (DoS) assault, a website is bombarded with fictitious requests, compelling it to respond to them and rendering it unavailable to legitimate users. This type of attack could be used to take down a crucial website that is used by users such as citizens, soldiers, first responders, scientists, and others to disrupt important operations or systems.

Grid of electrical power
An attacker might cripple infrastructure and risk disrupting the livelihoods of thousands of people by hacking the electrical power grid and disabling vital systems. The ability to use services like text messaging or telephone might also be disrupted by an attack on the electrical power system, which would prevent them from functioning. (Predicted way back in the movie Die Hard 4(2007)

Propaganda
Attacks using propaganda aim to influence the thoughts or feelings of those who reside in or support the targeted nation. The employment of propaganda can be used to reveal embarrassing truths or disseminate falsehoods that make people doubt their nation or even harbor animosity toward the adversary.

Economic Upheaval
The majority of contemporary economic systems rely on computers to run. Hackers may gain access to finances by attacking the computer networks of financial institutions like banks, payment systems, or stock exchanges, or they may deprive their targets of the money they require for subsistence or to wage cyberwarfare or other types of conflict.

Unexpected cyberattack
These cyberattacks are the kind that would have the same impact as Pearl Harbor or 9/11: enormous assaults that catch the adversary off guard and compromise their defenses. They could be employed in hybrid warfare to debilitate the adversary before a physical assault.

How does cyberwarfare appear? Several forms of cyberwarfare are possible:

• • Attacks on the financial system
  • Attempts to damage public infrastructure, such as electrical systems or dams
  • Attacks on the safety infrastructure, such as early warning systems or traffic signals
  • Attacks against military organizations or resources

In conclusion, we will reiterate that organized cybercrime is now the biggest threat to the United States, and we witness it in real-time. Cyberwarfare appears in several forms, such as attacks on the financial system, public infrastructure, or safety infrastructure. The goal of these attacks is to destabilize, destroy, or harm innocents. To defend against cyberwarfare, we must be constantly vigilant and upgrade our computer systems regularly. In all honesty, no one institution or individual can claim to be 100% safe! That’s an open secret in the cybersphere. What the smart organizations and businesses rather do -with the help of frameworks, regulations, and modern innovative security solutions- is just to reduce their risk exposure! Staying on top of their game…that’s it!

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If you’re new to this (cybersecurity) or feel overwhelmed with the thought of what you must do as a business owner to protect your company (keep safe from cyber threats) then you’ve come to the right place. Book a call with one of our ISACA and ISO certified IT Risk Analysts today. Remember you don’t have to fight alone… no reward in that.