Major international and Ukrainian cybersecurity news in September 2024

Cybersecurity of the US presidential election is a top priority for the country's cybersecurity authorities. China, Iran, and Russia are increasing pressure on the US election process by spreading disinformation, fake news, and inciting radicalism. According to Microsoft, China is the most active in interference. In addition, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) monitors election security at all stages, providing advice and disseminating recommendations to ensure cybersecurity and the security of systems involved in the election process.

In September, there were several notable cyber incidents involving data breaches. In particular, the personal data of all Dutch police officers was disclosed. Proton, a cybersecurity company, discovered the personal data of about 3,000 US Congressional staffers on the DarkWeb, and Microchip Technology confirmed that information was stolen in a ransomware attack. Although these incidents have affected many people, the responses of companies to such situations vary. For example, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) forced T-Mobile to spend $31.5 million to improve its cybersecurity after systematic data breaches over three years. At the same time, Indian company Star Health filed a lawsuit against Telegram for failing to counteract attempts to disseminate stolen customer data.

While the world is discussing the future of cybersecurity with a focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, experts also highlight another important issue - the use of outdated technologies in both the public and private sectors. The MITRE Corporation has prepared a document that draws attention to the fact that some federal systems that are more than 60 years old are still in use, which is dangerous in the long run, as the number of specialists who can maintain them is decreasing. SANS Institute experts also point to this problem, noting that the operation of outdated systems in outdated programming languages is among the five biggest threats to cybersecurity in the future.

Ukraine is actively implementing new cybersecurity measures. For example, on 19 September, the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine restricted the use of Telegram in government agencies, military structures and critical infrastructure facilities. It is planned to establish the first Ukrainian cyber threat information sharing centre (ISAC) in the telecommunications sector, which will help combat cyber attacks in one of the most vulnerable sectors. A national initiative was also launched to promote the role of women in cybersecurity and gender equality.

In September, the State Service for Special Communications published its latest report, Russian Cyber Operations H1'2024. It states that in the first half of 2024, Russian hackers focused their attacks on facilities related to military operations and critical service providers, trying to remain undetected in systems for as long as possible. The report also points to a new trend: attackers are actively using instant messengers and other communication tools to pose as acquaintances of the victim. They send malicious files disguised as documents or videos related to military topics.

Cyberspace remains a field of global confrontation. The US is increasingly focusing on threats from China that pose a danger to US infrastructure. In September, it became known that the Chinese hacker group Salt Typhoon had hacked several Internet providers in the US, and hidden backdoors installed without the users' knowledge were found on cranes operating in ports. These issues are being discussed in Congress. China continues to engage in cyber espionage. According to TrendMicro, the TIDRONE group has been conducting attacks against Taiwan, and Chinese hackers have created a large botnet of IoT devices to spy on the US Army and Taiwan.

Read more about legislative changes, initiatives of national actors, trends, forecasts and analytical assessments, international and Ukrainian news in the field of cybersecurity in Ukraine: September 2024 Digest.