Microsoft has recently published its periodic analysis on the situation of digital cybersecurity linked to the war in Ukraine. The document records a notable increase in the so-called “Russian Propaganda Index” and denounces the intrusion attempts of the cyber espionage of Russia in 42 different countries.
Cyber espionage and Russia, the degenerating situation
The report (which you can read in its entirety at this address) highlights how among at least 128 organizations targetedmany belong to foreign ministries of NATO countries, humanitarian organizations, suppliers of critical infrastructure, tech companies, think tanks and, more generally, institutional sites.
In its analysis, Microsoft does not consider harassing DDOS attacks, rather it focuses exclusively on the kind of attacks that are capable of stealing data from victims. Taking this premise into account, it turns out that the hits are “just” the 29%a figure that in any case deserves alarm and strategic reactions.
The nations most affected are, as was to be expected, the United States, which is followed with some detachment by Poland and the Baltic countries such as Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Turkey. Italy is never explicitly mentioned in the papers drawn up by Big Tech.
Microsoft therefore suggests five key conclusions: nations must find a transnational management system for digital operations and data assets; advances in Ukrainian cybersecurity have ensured Kiev considerable resilience; Russia’s cyber espionage hit third countries as they started supporting Ukraine; the Kremlin is developing a cyber-influence strategy; it is necessary to create a coordinated and comprehensive system with which to strengthen the IT defenses.
The option proposed by Microsoft is to find a team for which the public sphere collaborates with the private onebringing Governments, NGOs, academies and, of course, even Big Tech to a single table.