Nation-State Cyber Threats on the Rise? Stay Out of the Crossfire

In the modern era, cyberspace has become the new front on which a unique type of warfare is being waged. Nation-state cyber threats – defined as cyberattacks carried out by foreign nation-states such as Russia or North Korea – are on the rise, and many private organizations are unfortunately finding themselves in the crossfire.

In 2014, for example, Sony Pictures was targeted by a North Korean cyberattack after the regime took issue with the company releasing The Interview. Last year, the SolarWinds hack carried out by Russia compromised federal agencies and private organizations alike. And just a little over a month ago, a state-sponsored hacking group out of China compromised over 100,000 private email servers.

These are just a few examples of recent nation-state cyberattacks that have either directly or indirectly affected countless public and private organizations. So how do you keep your own organization protected against the various threats that these high-level attacks pose? Unfortunately, there is no simple solution. Since cybercriminals that are sponsored by nation-states typically receive a higher level of funding, training, and resources, the threats that they pose can be especially difficult to defend against.

The good news, however, is that the same strategies and investments that will help protect your organization against more standard cyber threats can also keep you protected against nation-state cyber threats. By adopting robust cybersecurity measures, training your employees on how to avoid falling prey to malicious actors, and including nation-state threats as part of your cybersecurity risk modeling, you can go a long way toward ensuring that you stay out of the crossfire the next time a foreign nation decides to launch a cyberattack.

With every year that passes, nation-state attacks are becoming more frequent, more advanced, and more damaging. Only by preparing for such an attack ahead of time and ensuring that your approach to cybersecurity leaves nothing to be desired can you help make sure that your organization doesn’t become another nation-state cyberattack casualty.

Note: The Knowledge Group continuously produces webcasts on this topic and other hot-button issues relating to the Cybersecurity & Privacy Law to keep you ahead of the curve.