Russian hackers mix up cyber tactics, becoming more widespread

Cyberattacks on both central and local authorities by Russian hackers in Ukraine have significantly increased. The number of cyber incidents in the security, defense and energy sector have more than doubled in the first half of 2024.

“Hackers are constantly developing their capabilities. The enemy seeks to steal critical information by any means, making Ukrainian military and state bodies prime targets for adversarial cyberattacks,” says the Ukrainian State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection (SSSCIP) in a new report.

Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) analyzed 1,739 cyber incidents in the first six months of 2024, which is an increase of 20 percent compared to the second half of last year.

Phishing, malware and social engineering are the primary tools for gathering intel from Ukrainian sources. That’s why the Ukrainian cyber intelligence agency is constantly raising public awareness to keep digital defenses and resilience on par, and to inform citizens on the latest cyber threats.

“The war persists, and cyberspace remains a battlefield in its own right. The enemy is determined to gather intelligence by any means necessary, leading us to believe that cyberattacks targeting military personnel and government bodies will remain prevalent,” the SSSCIP report states.

Another military tactic used by Russian president Putin is destabilization. By destroying Ukraine’s critical infrastructure with cyberattacks, Russia tries to do as much damage as possible, without firing a single shot. That’s not only cost efficient, but also very effective. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely Russia will cease its cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, the Ukrainian cybersecurity agency emphasizes.

SSSCIP observed a significant increase in attacks on government organizations and local authorities. The number of incidents targeting the security and defense sectors, as well as power, heat and water supply facilities, has more than doubled in the first half of this year.

Because email servers are well protected, Russian hackers are increasingly using messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram in order to steal passwords, gain access to sensitive military files, and distribute malware.

“Among the victim’s contacts, there may be ‘high-value’ targets whose messaging history are of particular interest to various intelligence agencies of the aggressor nation. However, the compromise of accounts is not solely used for espionage; they are also exploited for financial gain,” SSSCIP says in its report.

The cyber threat agency concludes that Russian hackers are continually growing, which means that Ukraine also has to continue to improve. “Let us remain conscious and responsible. Together toward Victory. Glory to Ukraine!,” the report ends.