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Russian hackers bring warfare to cyber theaters


Russian hackers have become more adept at bringing companies and digital infrastructure to their knees. The cybercriminals’ attacks have paralyzed pipelines, collected ransoms and forced nations and private companies to invest billions in cybersecurity.

In 2020, Russian hackers hacked a single software provider and used that customer data to infiltrate more than 100 organizations around the world, including Microsoft, Cisco and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Experts have said cyberattacks can be especially difficult to trace, making them powerful tools of war. The U.S. has warned companies of new intelligence suggesting a rising threat of Russian cyberattacks.

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

IT’S THE 21ST CENTURY TACTIC TO TAKE OUT ANOTHER COUNTRY 

 

CYBERWARFARE

 

AND AS THE U.S. PREPARES FOR A RUSSIAN CYBERATTACK – A LOOK AT

RUSSIA’S LONG RECORD SHOWS US EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE CAPABLE OF

 

LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT

 

IN 2020, RUSSIAN HACKERS INFILTRATED MORE THAN 100 ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD- THEY DID IT BY HACKING JUST ONE SOFTWARE PROVIDER AND USING IT TO STEAL DATA ON ITS CUSTOMERS

 

THOSE CUSTOMERS INCLUDED MICROSOFT, CISCO AND U.S GOVERNMENT AGENCIES LIKE THE COMMERCE, ENERGY AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS

 

IT WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST DATA BREACHES IN HISTORY

 

FAST FORWARD TO 2021. A RUSSIA-LINKED CYBERCRIMINAL GROUP SHUT DOWN THE FIFTY-FIVE HUNDRED MILE LONG COLONIAL PIPELINE. REMEMBER THAT? IT LED TO MASS FUEL SHORTAGES ALONG THE EAST COAST. 

 

THEY HELD IT UP FOR MORE THAN 4 MILLION DOLLARS IN RANSOM – WHICH COLONIAL PIPELINE PAID OUT

 

THE THING WITH CYBERATTACKS IS THAT THEY’RE HARD TO TRACE – MAKING IT A POWERFUL TOOL OF WAR.

– REGARDLESS THE U.S. SAYS IT’S PREPARED TO RESPOND –

 

WHICH POINTS TO CYBER DEFENSE. HOW DOES THAT WORK? FIND OUT IN OUR NEXT VIDEO