Η Check Point Research (CPR) identified September 2022 as a tipping point for war-related cyberattacks Russias-Ukraines.
Since then, weekly cyberattacks against Ukraine have dropped by 44%, while cyberattacks against NATO countries have, in some cases, increased by nearly 57%. CPR lists wipers, layered attacks and hacktivism as the key trends and forces driving this shift.
- Cyberattacks against Russia have seen a steady increase of 9% since September 2022
- Estonia, Poland and Denmark respectively saw increases of 57%, 31% and 31%
- The UK and US respectively saw increases of 11% and 6%
Check Point Research (CPR) points to September 2022 as the tipping point for cyber attacks related to the Russian-Ukrainian war. Looking back, CPR noticed a difference in cyber attacks when comparing the periods March – September 2022 and October 2022 – February 2023. Cyber attacks against Ukraine decreased, while cyber attacks against NATO countries rose sharply.
The numbers:
- 44% decrease in average weekly attacks per organization against Ukraine, from 1.555 attacks to 877
- 9% increase in average weekly attacks per organization against the Russian Federation, from 1.505 to 1.635
- Increase in cyber attacks against NATO countries
- Estonia, Poland and Denmark saw increases of 57%, 31% and 31% respectively.
- The UK and US saw growth of 11% and 6%, respectively
Figure 1. Average weekly cyber attacks by organization
Figure 2. Average weekly cyberattacks by organization for government and military industry
The main trends:
- Increase the wipers
- Multidimensional cyber attacks
- hacktivism
Statement by Sergey Shykevich, Threat Intelligence Group Managers at Check Point Research:
“We see a change in the direction of cyber attacks at a certain point during the war. Starting in the third quarter of 2022, we see a decrease in attacks against Ukraine, while we also see an increase in attacks against some NATO countries. "
"We see the development of efforts specifically against specific NATO countries that are more hostile to Russia. Some of these attacks are attacks malicioussoftware and some of them focus on information operations around specific political, geopolitical and military events".
