UK, US caution about Russian hacktivists targeting tech systems

TLDR:

• U.K., U.S., and Canadian cyber authorities warn of pro-Russia hacktivist attacks on operational technology systems.
• Pro-Russia hacktivists are accessing OT systems, exploiting vulnerabilities in small-scale OT systems and targeting critical infrastructure sectors.

The U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre, along with U.S. and Canadian authorities, have issued a warning about pro-Russia hacktivist attacks targeting providers of operational technology (OT). These attacks have been on the rise since 2022, targeting sectors like Water and Wastewater Systems, Dams, Energy, and Food and Agriculture. Hacktivists exploit vulnerabilities in OT systems, creating “nuisance effects” like altering settings and passwords. The cyber authorities have provided advice to OT providers to improve their cybersecurity posture, including disconnecting HMIs from public-facing internet and implementing multifactor authentication. While the hacktivists’ motives and connections to Russian hacking units like Sandworm are still under investigation, it is clear that the risk to critical infrastructure is increasing, necessitating proactive security measures and collaboration across nations and industries.