Ukraine’s cyber police chief tells Reuters Russian hackers appear to be using malware to infect company computers in preparation for one large, coordinated cyberattack.
The hackers are targeting companies, including banks and energy infrastructure firms, in a roll out that suggests they are preparing to activate the malware in one massive strike, cyber police chief Serhiy Demedyuk said. Ukrainian police are working with foreign authorities to identify the hackers, Demedyuk added.
Law enforcement and corporate security teams around the world pay close attention to cyber threats in Ukraine, where some of the most destructive hacks in history have originated. A virus dubbed “NotPetya” hit Ukraine in June 2017, taking down government agencies and businesses before spreading to corporate networks around the globe, causing companies billions of dollars in losses.
“The fact that the Ukraine government has decided to go public with this shows that they are scared that this could have a big impact and want people to be aware,” said Jaime Blasco, chief scientist with cybersecurity firm AlienVault.
Ukraine says Russian operatives are using phishing emails with viruses attached originating from hacked state institutions.
Hackers have sought to evade detection by breaking malware into separate files, which are put onto targeted networks before they activate them, Demedyuk said.
“Analysis of the malicious software that has already been identified and the targeting of attacks on Ukraine suggest that this is all being done for a specific day,” he said.
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“This is support on a government level - very expensive and very synchronized. Without the help of government bodies, it would not be possible. We’re talking now about the Russian Federation,” he said.
“Everything we’re seeing, everything we’ve intercepted in this period: 99 percent of the traces come from Russia.”
Exclusive: Ukraine says Russian hackers preparing massive strike (Reuters)