Cyberattacks in Ukraine: An Invisible Threat
Many cyberattacks in Ukraine go unnoticed, with only about 20% of them becoming public knowledge.
This was stated by the founder of AmonSul and a key figure in the Ukrainian cybersecurity community, Sergei Kharyuk, during an interview with EP.
"In my estimation, for every incident that is publicly discussed, there are at least four that remain silent. This is especially true in the private sector," he noted.
Kharyuk provided an example where a bot collecting personal data revealed that some of the information was allegedly "leaked" from a pharmacy network. Although there was no official confirmation of a data breach, the mere appearance of such information indicates a possible hack.
Regarding whether the state should publicly disclose cyber incidents, Kharyuk emphasized that the situation is ambiguous, especially during wartime. When it comes to Defense Forces, publicity may not be advisable. However, in the case of the civilian sector, transparency allows other organizations to learn from others' mistakes.
"For instance, Kyivstar only acknowledged that they were hacked, but real collaboration only began after the railway's breach. At that point, the operator's specialists came to assist in recovery. However, this is like offering help after someone has already broken their leg," he added.
To learn more about who is behind the largest cyberattacks and how Russian hackers operate, read the interview: "Who is winning in the Russian-Ukrainian cyberwar and are elections possible in "Diia"? An interview with a "white hat hacker"