Homeland Security warns Russia-Ukraine crisis could lead to cyberattacks in US – CBS San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The US Department of Homeland Security is warning that the situation in Ukraine could lead to cyberattacks in the United States. Russia has been the source of a number of attacks before, although it is often difficult to know exactly who is responsible.

“I think the Biden administration is trying to cover up their bases,” said Jacquelyn Schneider of Stanford’s Hoover Institute. “They’re not really sure about the extent of the crisis, in cyberspace or beyond.”

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Tensions in Ukraine are suddenly not far away as the Department of Homeland Security is warning that an escalation with Russia could trigger cyberattacks here. But an attack from Russia, is it necessarily a Russian attack?

“It is really difficult to know how much cyber activity that happens in Russia is officially accepted by the Putin regime,” said Schneider.

Schneider thinks a Putin-directed attack on US infrastructure is unlikely, but then there’s the shadowy world of Russian hackers like the group behind the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.

“So will we see more criminal activity during the Russo-Ukrainian crisis,” she asked.

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“If you’re thinking about security right now, you’re too late,” said Professor Ahmed Banafa of San Jose State University.

Banafa says that a cyber conflict is an ongoing conflict, with multiple possible targets beyond things like the power grid.

“When you talk about hard targets, you are talking about well-protected tech companies,” says Banafa. “You are talking about banks. This should come as no surprise to large companies. Big companies understand that they are under constant attack.”

Attacks can take many forms – and from different actors. The threat is an uncertain one, like the situation in Ukraine.

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“We’re really not sure what the common intentions of Russia and Putin are,” said Schneider. “And that spills over into cyberspace.”