Danielson, Nashville TN-April, 2022- The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, and is part of the Russian-Ukrainian cyber war, which began in 2014 and has focused on cybersecurity.

Hackers launched out so-called "DDos" ("Distributed Denial of Service") assaults before the current battle, in which web sites were automatically flooded with illegal requests, causing the server infrastructure to become overwhelmed and fail. Ukraine has blamed Moscow for the incident. Furthermore, "wiper" software, a malicious tool that can remove enormous amounts of data without being detected, was discovered on Ukrainian computers.

In 2017, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine using the "NotPetya" malware cleanup software, causing massive economic harm. Even now, as Ukraine fights, cyberspace remains a secondary battlefield. Ukraine is enlisting the help of both its military, as well as its IT expertise.

However, Russia's use of internet to promote hybrid warfare is undeniable. It's not only a matter of destroying essential IT infrastructure. The selective broadcast of fake information by Russia appears to be a part of it as well. Cyber operations became a feature of modern psychological warfare even before the invasion.
Russia is anticipated to expand cyberattacks to target disinformation as the war unfolds.

WHAT IS CYBER WARFARE, EXACTLY?

Cyber warfare is a branch of the military that seeks out the technical flaws in the enemy's computer systems or networks in order to access and attack them, as well as collect data and sensitive information.

WHAT IS CYBERSECURITY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Cybersecurity is the practice of preventing digital attacks on systems, networks, and programs. Typically, the goal of these cyberattacks is to gain access to, edit, or delete critical information, as well as to blackmail users or disturb business operations.

Because there are more devices connected than individuals, and attackers are growing more inventive, digital security measures are currently being implemented.

Multiple layers of protection are dispersed across the computers, networks, programs, and data that one wants to keep safe in an effective cybersecurity approach. To establish a successful protection against cyberattacks, people, processes, and technology must all work together in an organization.

BE CYBER READY

Internet scams and fraud, as well as data loss or theft, are a big concern in the modern digital age, and can have serious ramifications for individuals and businesses. Some of the personal information saved on computers is difficult to replace, and hackers may be able to steal your digital identity and money as a result.

Furthermore, the hazards escalate on a corporate level, because your customers' and suppliers' identities, financial information relating to your company's activities, patents, and sensitive data from goods or campaigns are all at risk. All of this has a source; human conduct is the greatest enabler of cyber-attacks.

Remember that even the most advanced and powerful cybersecurity technologies cannot prevent someone from "opening the door and letting hackers in." Cyber-attacks can range from exposing personal information to seizing control of systems and demanding ransom.

Because these attacks are generally hard to trace and there is no culture of cybersecurity, they spread swiftly. To avoid these scenarios, you must first comprehend cyber dangers and how cyberattacks take place.
Deception is used by both social engineering and other sorts of software (viruses or worms) to offer data or download a program that plants a code on the computer and steals information. Any of these scenarios could be classified as a cyber-attack, so what exactly is a cyber-attack?

It is critical that you are protected because it can be presented in a variety of ways, ranging from the most innocent to the most intricate. For instance, a communication that appears to originate from a reputable business or credit card firm, is often urgent, and includes a "click" link.

However, if you examine the email closely, you will see signs as to whether it is genuine or not. One idea is to hover over the link (but not click on it), then check at the web address that displays above the link or in the bottom left corner of your screen. Does the web address appear to be authentic, or does it contain names that aren't there? are you connected to the bank? You'll get a good notion of the message's validity by answering this question.

Attacks are becoming more common, but the good news is that they may be avoided. The steps below, in addition to assisting you, can help you create a cybersecurity culture:

1. Do not allow anyone onto the system who has not been properly invited.

This will be accomplished through securing computers, employing antimalware software, and keeping up with software updates.

Only use software that has been approved by the company.

2. Personal awareness.
• Keep a close eye on the emails you get.
• Always search for the most important information, such as the sender's name or firm.
• When clicking on a link or downloading anything, exercise extreme caution.
3. Infiltration by malware.
To prevent a hacker from infecting your system using malware, do the following steps:
• Never put anything into a computer without first making sure it's clean.
• Check for viruses on the device.
• Allowing third parties to enter data on your smartphone is not a good idea.
4. Physical defense.
Computers, like doors, must be physically protected. This you can do:

• Using a two-step authentication process.
• By using passwords that are at least 8 characters long. The harder it is to crack a password, the longer it is.
• Use different passwords for different pieces of equipment and services.
• By obscuring the laptop's camera.
5. Interconnections
• For external employees, use guest networks.
• Personal devices should not be connected to company networks without permission.
• Be cautious with what you post on the internet.
6. In the event of an attack In the event of an occurrence, you should take the following three measures as soon as you become aware of it:
• Follow the company's policies.
• Report to your managers right away.
• Paying a ransom for data is never a good idea.

To fully appreciate the value of technological investments and IT procedures, cyber security requires qualified staff. To keep PCs and mobile devices from becoming infected, it's critical to have strong anti-malware software. However, it is also a good idea to back up your data on a regular basis.

Even if your devices have never been affected with malware, a hard drive failure or other component failure could make it difficult to examine your most valuable data. You'll be glad you backed up your data at that point.

ABOUT THE PRESS OFFICER
Ricoh Danielson is an Information Security and Digital Forensics professional with over 15 years of progressive experience managing Incident Response and Digital Forensic matters across a diverse group of domestic and international clients. Ricoh is experienced in cyber breaches cyber incidents and digital forensic handling for clients in the Healthcare, Financial and Retail space.

Experienced in partnering directly with law firms, government agencies and private clients to provide digital forensic services for high profile and newsworthy cyber incidents.

Ricoh is a United States Army Combat Veteran and seasoned professional in the cybersecurity industry with hundreds of cases handled. Mr. Danielson has a proven ability to execute diverse, complex, and highly-sensitive situations in a timely and efficient manner while leading subordinate team members to do the same.
Contact Information (For Press Only):

480-747-5970
[email protected]

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