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Cyber Preparedness Amid the Ongoing Ukraine Crisis

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3 years ago

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Amid the escalation of the Ukraine crisis, industry experts suggest we could expect an increase in cyber threats. In this article, we spoke to industry experts about the type of threats to expect, the threat actors, and possible ways to contain such threats

The ongoing stand-off between Russia and Ukraine has rattled global political and business leaders, who fear that an invasion could inflict damage the world over. Earlier this year, multiple Ukrainian websites were hit by a cyber strike that left a warning to “be afraid and expect the worst”, as Russia had amassed troops near Ukraine’s borders.

Now, according to Reuters, “the European Central Bank is preparing banks for a possible Russian-sponsored cyber attack as tensions with Ukraine mount, as the region braces for the financial fallout of any conflict.” While the regulator had been focused on ordinary scams that boomed during the pandemic, the Ukraine crisis has diverted its attention to cyber attacks launched from Russia, with the ECB questioning banks about their defenses.

In addition, according to Thomson Reuters’ Regulatory Intelligence, the New York Department of Financial Services had issued an alert to financial institutions in late January, warning of retaliatory cyberattacks should Russia invade Ukraine and trigger U.S. sanctions.

Cyber Threats Expected

Morey Haber, the Chief Security Officer at BeyondTrust

While we are now coming to terms with the idea of a new conflict in a sensitive region of the world, tanks, troops, planes, bullets, and bombs are not the only weapons of war. Cyber attacks are more than just an annoyance. “When weaponized, cyber-attacks can cost lives as well, and maybe uncontrollable when unleashed in mass during an armed conflict. They can devastate a target and allies, but have the unfortunate consequence of affecting civilians as well, even if they are not within the theater of conflict,” explains Morey Haber, the Chief Security Officer at BeyondTrust.

“An escalation in attacks on critical infrastructure providers and government agencies and suppliers are likely to increase. Expect an increase in RansomOps, where the execution of the ransomware itself is just the initial piece of a much longer attack chain,” says Sam Curry, the Chief Security Officer at Cybereason. “RansomOps take a low and slow approach, infiltrating the network and spending time moving laterally and conducting reconnaissance to identify and exfiltrate valuable data. Threat actors might be in a network for days or even weeks.”

In addition, says Curry, supply chain attacks will be leveraged and adopted by more cybercriminal groups in the months ahead. “Companies that act as suppliers or providers need to be more vigilant and overall organizations need to be aware of the potential risk posed throughout the supply chain,” he adds.

According to Kiran Zachariah – VP -Digital Security at Sectrio, his company has seen a significant rise in the number of cyberattacks logged by their global honeypot network in the past few weeks. “Further, we have also seen a 77 percent rise in attacks on manufacturing and oil and gas. We have also seen an increase in the activity levels of certain state-backed hacker groups in Eastern Europe. The quality of phishing kits that we are intercepting now has improved remarkably in 2022 indicating a significant R&D push from the hackers. Even if these trends are not linked to the Ukraine crisis, there is still a significant deterioration in the global threat environment and that is a clear cause of concern,” adds Zachariah.

Kiran Zachariah – VP -Digital Security, Sectrio

John Hultquist, VP of Intelligence Analysis at Mandiant, is of the opinion that information operations are a regular feature of Russian and Belarusian cyber activity. “Such actors leverage a variety of tactics to achieve their aims, including but not limited to the use of social media campaigns involving coordinated and inauthentic activity, as well as the compromise of entities in hack-and-leak operations or for use in disseminating fabricated content to promote desired narratives,” adds Hultquist. “Disruptive and destructive cyberattacks take many forms, from distributed denial-of-service attacks to complex attacks on critical infrastructure. Like its peers, Russia leverages this capability in times of crisis.”

Regional Impact
Cybersecurity experts say the attacks could be a precursor to more serious cyber assaults on Ukraine and its allies. Russia is determined to prevent Ukraine from joining the NATO security alliance. Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, raising concerns Moscow may be preparing for an invasion of its neighbor. Russia annexed a portion of Ukraine in 2014.

“The crisis in Ukraine has already proven to be a catalyst for the additional aggressive cyber activity that will likely increase as the situation deteriorates. At Mandiant, we have been anticipating this activity, and we are concerned that, unlike the recent defacements and destructive attacks, future activity will not be restricted to Ukrainian targets or the public sector,” says Hultquist.

“Time will tell on how far the threats expand beyond Ukraine, but we can assume that Russian, Chinese, North Korean, and Iranian state-sponsored hackers are regularly testing the resiliency of their enemies and that includes the U.S., countries in the Middle East and the Asia Pacific,” adds Curry. “Overall, there is always a trade-off in hacking other nations — certainly some benefits, but some drawbacks as well, and a whole lot of risk.”

Zachariah adds, “In the Middle East, we have traditionally seen sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing and utilities bear the brunt of cyberattacks from sophisticated hackers. Some of the attacks on these sectors were copycat attacks wherein hackers imitated the tactics and breach methods used by hackers in Eastern Europe.”

Sam Curry, CSO, Cybereason

He further says, whether you are an ally of Ukraine or not, you will still face cyber threats from a range of actors who have various objectives to achieve such as ransom, customer data, or simply revenge. “Even if a spillover of attacks is likely or otherwise, there are enough groups targeting the region. So we have enough reasons to be vigilant and stand guard. From the global trends we are analyzing, it is clear that hackers are continuing to use the widespread disruption caused by the pandemic to exploit weakness and gaps in the overall cybersecurity posture of businesses here as well,” Zachariah explains.

According to Curry, looking back to last year and the Colonial Pipeline attack in the United States, what had probably seemed logical to DarkSide became a nasty surprise. “Waking the lion is not a good idea. This is, however, the game of nations; and it now has a cyber component to go along with diplomacy, intelligence, military, and economic measures,” he explains.

Identifying the Attackers
According to Zachariah, the groups have already been exposed. “But what is interesting is the level of obfuscation that is at play which is again a part of their much-used playbook. At least one APT group, in this case, managed to use the infrastructure of another country to target a third country,” he says.

“Early indications suggest that both sides are ramping up their attack strategies for some form of cyber warfare during this conflict,” explains Haber. “The question becomes, based on modern commercial attacks, what do weaponized versions really look like and how much potential damage could they really do versus just holding a computer hostage with ransomware. From this author’s perspective, the damage could be just as bad as physical bombs, all initiated based on a piece of malicious software. Now that is one prediction I hope doesn’t come true.”

John Hultquist, VP of Intelligence Analysis at Mandiant

Meanwhile, Hultquist says that Russian cyber espionage actors such as UNC2452, Turla, and APT28, which are tied to the Russian intelligence services, have almost certainly already received tasking to provide intelligence around the crisis. “These actors already frequently target government, military, diplomatic, and related targets worldwide for intelligence that benefits Russia’s foreign policy decision making,” he says. Ultimately, cyber capabilities are a means for states to compete for political, economic, and military advantage without the violence and irreversible damage that is likely to escalate to open conflict. While information operations and cyberattacks such as the 2016 US election operations and the NotPetya incident can have serious political and economic consequences, Russia may favour them because they can reasonably expect that these operations will not lead to a major escalation in the conflict.”

Keeping Threats at Bay
To reduce risk and improve its resiliency against cyber threats, every organization should regularly test its infrastructure for weak points by conducting threat assessments and deploying appropriate incident response plans. “In addition, follow security hygiene best practices that include timely patch management, offsite data backups, and security awareness training,” adds Curry.

Companies should investigate and verify remote and on-site access modes, mechanisms and confirm that passwords are not shared (within or outside the organization) and that all passwords used are unique. In addition, they also need to ensure that all systems are patched and updated. “Furthermore, examine your infrastructure for inherent or acquired vulnerabilities. Conduct a deep vulnerability scan. Gather visibility into the footprint of your operations and supply chain and request all stakeholders to conduct self-assessment checks as per the NIST CSF to ensure that all systems are hardened and secure,” says Zachariah.

“Organisations should also deploy multi-layer prevention capabilities on all enterprise endpoints across their networks. Organisations should also implement extended detection and remediation solutions across their environments, for visibility, to end advanced attacks before they can gain a footing in their networks,” explains Curry.

“In addition, you need to ensure that all perimeter and non-perimeter-based defenses are working well. Stress-test your incident response plan and reexamine your roles and responsibilities matrix to ensure all roles and individuals are well aligned. Communicate the need for heightened security across the organization,” asserts Zachariah.

“We would recommend practical and scalable methods that can help protect organizations from not only destructive attacks, but potential incidents where a threat actor is attempting to perform reconnaissance, escalate privileges, laterally move, maintain access, and achieve their mission,” says Hultquist.

According to Haber, companies, and users should also ensure that only approved applications are allowed to execute in their environments and any program that does not meet minimum security requirements is explicitly denied. “All access outside of trusted network zones should be monitored, proxied, regulated, and controlled to prevent a presence by threat actors,” says Haber.

“Any business, government, or individual that has an interest in this potential conflict — and candidly it should be everyone — there are a few things we should all do to protect against these cyber weapons of war,” says Haber. “Assess all of your assets, cloud, and on-premise, and prioritize remediation of all critical findings that can be exploited without user intervention during a cyber attack. Once vulnerabilities have been prioritized, remediate (patch) them in a timely fashion. Remove all unnecessary privileged accounts and ensure that credentials, passwords, and secrets are not shared and are unique across all assets.”

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Cyber Security

Axis Communications Sheds Light on Video Surveillance Industry Perspectives on AI

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2 days ago

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May 12, 2025

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Axis Communications has published a new report that explores the state of AI in the global video surveillance industry. Titled The State of AI in Video Surveillance, the report examines the key opportunities, challenges and future trends, as well as the responsible practices that are becoming critical for organisations in their use of AI. The report draws insights from qualitative research as well as quantitative data sources, including in-depth interviews with carefully selected experts from the Axis global partner network.

A leading insight featured in the report is the unanimous view among interviewees that interest in the technology has surged over the past few years, with more and more business customers becoming curious and increasingly knowledgeable about its potential applications.

Mats Thulin, Director AI & Analytics Solutions at Axis Communications

“AI is a technology that has the potential to touch every corner and every function of the modern enterprise. That said, any implementations or integrations that aim to drive value come with serious financial and ethical considerations. These considerations should prompt organisations to scrutinise any initiative or investment. Axis’s new report not only shows how AI is transforming the video surveillance landscape, but also how that transformation should ideally be approached,” said Mats Thulin, Director AI & Analytics Solutions at Axis Communications.

According to the Axis report, the move by businesses from on-premise security server systems to hybrid cloud architectures continues at pace, driven by the need for faster processing, improved bandwidth usage and greater scalability. At the same time, cloud-based technology is being combined with edge AI solutions, which play a crucial role by enabling faster, local analytics with minimal latency, a prerequisite for real-time responsiveness in security-related situations.

By moving AI processing closer to the source using edge devices such as cameras, businesses can reduce bandwidth consumption and better support real-time applications like security monitoring. As a result, the hybrid approach is expected to continue to shape the role of AI in security and unlock new business intelligence and operational efficiencies.

A trend that is emerging among businesses is the integration of diverse data for a more comprehensive analysis, transforming safety and security. Experts predict that by integrating additional sensory data, such as audio and contextual environmental factors caught on camera, can lead to enhanced situational awareness and greater actionable insights, offering a more comprehensive understanding of events.

Combining multiple data streams can ultimately lead to improved detection and prediction of potential threats or incidents. For example, in emergency scenarios, pairing visual data with audio analysis can enable security teams to respond more quickly and precisely. This context-aware approach can potentially elevate safety, security and operational efficiency, and reflects how system operators can leverage and process multiple data inputs to make better-informed decisions.

According to the Axis report, interviewees emphasised that responsible AI and ethical considerations are critical priorities in the development and deployment of new systems, raising concerns about decisions potentially based on biased or unreliable AI. Other risks highlighted include those related to privacy violations and how facial and behavioural recognition could have ethical and legal repercussions.

As a result, a recurring theme among interviewees was the importance of embedding responsible AI practices early in the development process. Interviewees also pointed to regulatory frameworks, such as the EU AI Act, as pivotal in shaping responsible use of technology, particularly in high-risk areas. While regulation was broadly acknowledged as necessary to build trust and accountability, several interviewees also stressed the need for balance to safeguard innovation and address privacy and data security concerns.

“The findings of this report reflect how enterprises are viewing the trend of AI holistically, working to have a firm grasp of both how to use the technology effectively and understand the macro implications of its usage. Conversations surrounding privacy and responsibility will continue but so will the pace of innovation and the adoption of technologies that advance the video surveillance industry and lead to new and exciting possibilities,” Thulin added.

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Artificial Intelligence

CyberKnight Partners with Ridge Security for AI-Powered Security Validation

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6 days ago

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May 8, 2025

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The automated penetration testing market was valued at roughly $3.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow rapidly, with forecasts estimating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 21% and 25%. By 2030, the sector is expected to reach approximately $9 to $10 billion. The broader penetration testing industry is also expanding, with projections indicating it will surpass $5.3 billion by 2027, according to MarketandMarket.

To support enterprises and government entities across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) with identifying and validating vulnerabilities and reducing security gaps in real-time, CyberKnight has partnered with Ridge Security, the World’s First Al-powered Offensive Security Validation Platform. Ridge Security’s products incorporate advanced artificial intelligence to deliver security validation through automated penetration testing and breach and attack simulations.

RidgeBot uses advanced AI to autonomously perform multi-vector iterative attacks, conduct continuous penetration testing, and validate vulnerabilities with zero false positives. RidgeBot has been deployed by customers worldwide as a key element of their journey to evolve from traditional vulnerability management to Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM).

“Ridge Security’s core strength lies in delivering holistic, AI-driven security validation that enables organizations to proactively manage risk and improve operational performance,” said Hom Bahmanyar, Chief Enablement Officer at Ridge Security. “We are delighted to partner with CyberKnight to leverage their network of strategic partners, deep-rooted customer relations, and security expertise to accelerate our expansion plans in the region.”

“Our partnership with Ridge Security is a timely and strategic step, as 69% of organizations are now adopting AI-driven security for threat detection and prevention,” added Wael Jaber, Chief Strategy Officer at CyberKnight. “By joining forces, we enhance our ability to deliver automated, intelligent security validation solutions, reaffirming our commitment to empowering customers with resilient, future-ready cybersecurity across the region.”

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Cyber Security

GISEC 2025 Launches OT Security Conference Amid 49% Infrastructure Attack Surge

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6 days ago

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May 8, 2025

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As operational technology (OT) cyberattacks skyrocketed 49% in 2024 – targeting power grids, oil & gas facilities, factories and transport systems – GISEC Global 2025 is responding with the launch of its pivotal new OT Security track at the Middle East and Africa’s largest cybersecurity event, currently taking place until 8th May at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The OT-focused conference at GISEC Global tackled evolving risks, system vulnerabilities and strategies for securing critical infrastructure. Other important considerations included AI in ICS/OT Security, Quantum Computing Threat, Protecting ICS and SCADA Systems & Digital Supply Chains in the presence of top CISOs, CIOs, OT security heads and policy-makers to fortify SCADA, ICS and digital supply chains.

The global OT security market is projected to double to $44.9 billion by 2029 (as per Markets and Markets). According to research by IBM, the average cost of cyberattacks on organisations in the Middle East is $8.75 million, nearly double the global average. OT security encompasses advanced cybersecurity protocols designed to ensure the integrity, availability and safety of industrial control systems. As critical infrastructure faces escalating cyber threats, robust OT security is essential for maintaining continuity across the oil & gas, manufacturing, energy, transport and utility sectors.

In late 2024, ransomware groups accelerated attacks on industrial sectors, with manufacturing, transportation and ICS operations prime targets. Only aggressive defence, intelligence sharing and cross-sector collaboration will safeguard critical infrastructure into 2025 and beyond. The audience heard from experts on the need for modern OT protection which delved into precision AI, leveraging machine learning, deep learning and large language models.

Discussing cybersecurity threats in the maritime industry, where ships can hold up to 10,000 passengers, are driven autonomously and each country has their own set of AI regulations, Simone Fortin, Global CISO Cruise Division at MSC Cruise Division, called for streamlined regulations that can be applied to all countries around the world.

He said, “For an industry like maritime, which is regulated by the UN, it is hard to interpret how to prevent AI threats for something critical like managing a ship. The UN gives the policy a broader scale, but then everything is regulated by bilateral agreements between the states and the regulators, and implemented by companies; but then, everything is defined by the fact that you could be in international waters. And ships can be owned by one entity, managed by another while sailing under a separate flag.”

Bridging the gap between AI-powered cyber defence and critical infrastructure resilience, the OT Security Track also put the spotlight the escalating IoT/IIoT threats in the oil & gas sector, featuring frontline insights from global CISOs defending the world’s most targeted industries.

Amal Krishna, Executive Director & CISO, ONGC, said, “To combat the surge in OT cyberattacks, businesses must prioritise asset visibility, network segmentation and secure remote access – but equally critical is breaking down silos between IT, OT and engineering teams. Cyber resilience in critical infrastructure isn’t just about technology, it’s about collaboration, continuous monitoring and a security-first culture.”

Albert Vartic, Upstream OT Cybersecurity Officer, OMV Petrom, added, “Over the next five years, OT cybersecurity in the Middle East’s critical infrastructure will see significant evolution. The region’s rapid digitalisation has expanded the attack surface, making industrial systems more vulnerable – proactive measures like IEC 62443 adoption and cross-team collaboration will be essential to safeguard operational resilience.”

Exhibitors Ayman Al Issa (CPX) and Mohammed Mousa (CyberKnight) dissected the 49% surge in OT attacks, offering actionable defences for the energy, healthcare and manufacturing sectors. Mousa, OT/xIoT Consultant at CyberKnight, warns that legacy OT systems weren’t built for today’s threats.

He explained, “The escalation in intrusions is a consequence of accelerated digital transformation in industrial sectors. As organisations integrate IT and OT environments to improve efficiency and support the business, they inadvertently expand the threat surface. Furthermore, legacy systems remain in operation far beyond their intended lifespan and often lack native security controls. Meanwhile, increased reliance on remote access, third-party integrations, and limited OT-specific cybersecurity governance heightens exposure. Simply put, organisations are moving faster than their security strategies are evolving.”

For businesses and governments to stay ahead of cyber criminals, Al Issa, Director – OT Cybersecurity at CPX, emphasised the importance of undertaking risk and threat assessments to understand what assets are at risk and how potential attackers might target them, sooner rather than later. He said, “In today’s fast-shifting business landscape, organisations need to focus on identifying their most critical assets – those that are at the highest risk and that they care about the most, rather than trying to protect everything or plan for recovery across the entire business. As such, organisations should conduct in-depth threat and risk assessments specifically considering the unique characteristics of industrial control systems (ICS), including their physical consequences. This involves mapping out interdependence, potential attack vectors and consequences of downtime. Using threat intelligence and aligning with frameworks like CIS ICS Controls can help organisations monitor suspicious activity, manage vulnerabilities and create tailored incident response plans. Once this is clear, more targeted and practical defence measures can be put in place and continuously tested, using threat intelligence to stay ahead of evolving threats. Risk assessments should be continuous, evolving with technological changes and emerging threats and should be validated through regular penetration testing.”

Amr Elsayed, Regional OT/ICS Cybersecurity Specialist at CyberKnight, agrees, saying technology, collaboration and workforce training should be key priorities for businesses. He said, “To enhance OT security resilience against rising cyber threats, businesses should adopt a Zero Trust approach, enforcing least-privilege access and micro-segmentation to limit breach impact. Advanced real-time monitoring and threat intelligence sharing (ISACs, public-private partnerships) are critical for proactive defences. Additionally, maintaining accurate OT asset inventories, conducting OT-specific incident response drills and implementing risk-based vulnerability management (compensating controls, tailored patching) will strengthen security postures. Finally, OT-focused employee training ensures a security-aware workforce. By prioritising these measures – spanning technology, collaboration and workforce readiness – organisations can safeguard critical infrastructure, mitigate disruptions and build long-term cyber resilience in OT environments.”

With Middle East nations rapidly adopting digitisation into their day-to-day practices, the region is becoming a target for cyberattacks. However, the experts expect a number of measures to be put in place to protect cybersecurity infrastructure, and GISEC 2025 could be where policymakers and tech giants will draft the playbook. Al Issa added, “Over the next five years, we can expect a major shift toward structured, regulation-driven cybersecurity approaches. AI-driven OT threat detection, the widespread adoption of Zero Trust principles and deeper integration of compliance frameworks will define the regional OT cybersecurity landscape. Stricter regulatory frameworks and compliance mandates region-wide will push for better security practices.”

Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre, GISEC Global 2025 is hosted by the UAE Cybersecurity Council under the theme of ‘Securing an AI-Powered Future’, and supported by Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC), UAE Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police.

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