News item |: 21-02-2023 |: 12:30 p.m
Digital attacks related to the Ukraine war have not yet caused major disruptions in the Netherlands. The attacks that were carried out had a temporary and local effect. This is evident from an analysis by the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC). Together with national and international partners, NCSC detects and analyzes cyber threats 24/7 that may be related to the war in Ukraine. Based on these insights, the NCSC, together with Dutch government cybersecurity partners, draws four important cybersecurity lessons for companies and organizations in the Netherlands.
Friday, February 24, marks exactly one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. The battle takes place not only on the ground, but also online. Since the beginning of the war, the NCSC has been monitoring digital attacks carried out in the context of war and analyzing the possible consequences of these digital attacks for the Netherlands.
“We can and should learn from what happened last year,” said NCSC threat analyst Bart van den Berg. “The war is not over yet. We will have to deal with the growing digital threat due to the growing tensions in Europe for a long time to come. Digital attacks are not limited to borders, and that also means we still need to be alert and vigilant.”
The four main classes are:
- The resurgence of hacktivismHacktivists are prominent in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, conducting disruptive digital attacks.
- The role of private organizationsPrivate organizations play an important role in the digital war to increase the digital resilience of (Ukrainian) organizations and make vital services available.
- Basic rulesThe rapid escalation of the war demonstrates the importance of preparing for a future and rapidly escalating cyber crisis.
- Chain effectsCyber-attacks are not limited by national borders and can have an international impact.
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Although there have been no disruptions in our country, many digital attacks have been carried out, the consequences of which may be from the war in Ukraine. Many of these attacks were directed at allies of the Netherlands. These digital attacks are often carried out by non-state actors such as hackers.
According to the NCSC, a common attack technique among hacktivists is DDoS attacks. A DDoS attack can have a disruptive effect on an organization’s business operations if proper cybersecurity measures are not taken. It is important for organizations to include the DDoS scenario in their threat and risk analysis.
The past period has also shown that cooperation between public and private parties (internationally) is essential to get a complete picture of digital threats. By learning from this, organizations can further improve their cyber security and increase resilience.
The NCSC urges organizations to read and use these lessons to ensure that the Netherlands remains digitally secure in the coming period. The war in Ukraine and rising tensions in Europe will also lead to an increase in the digital threat in the coming period.
NOTE. In the publication Four Cybersecurity Lessons from a Year of War in Ukraine, NCSC and its partners describe four lessons learned and an outlook for action by organizations. Want to read more about the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Netherlands? Then read the report 24/2. Russia’s attack on Ukraine. a turning point in the history of AIVD and MIVD.