Revenge and inflation have led to an increase in the number of cyber attacks by 800% since the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine last month.
The head of the American company Ntirety, which supplies managed services with an emphasis on cybersecurity, Emil Sayegh, told The Register that the attacks are carried out by groups not only from Russia, but also from the DPRK and Iran, which are its allies.
Ntirety serves about 2.4 thousand companies worldwide. These are mainly small and medium-sized businesses in North America. According to Sayegh, he is witnessing a sharp surge in cyber attacks on all his clients.
The specialist attributes these attacks to pro-Russian cybercrime groups allegedly linked to the Russian government. They are attacking Ukrainian and Western companies in retaliation for the sanctions, Sayegh believes. In addition, their aggression is also fueled by the depreciation of money, which also affects hackers who need to “earn” enough money to cope with rising costs.
“This is retribution. We know that Conti and REvil are connected with special services, so this is revenge on Western countries supporting Ukraine. However, there is a second reason, which is that even hackers suffer from inflation, and they need to earn money somehow. After all, it’s their job. Just like you and I go to work every day, they also do their job, and that’s exactly what happens,” explained Sayega.
However, sanctions put pressure not only on Russian, but also on other hackers.
“This is not limited only to Russia, which is feeling the impact of sanctions, but also affects other countries receiving food and raw materials from Ukraine and Russia. There is an incredible hyperinflation, so cyber threats come from these countries as a way of earning money, as a continuation of activity like REvil and Conti,” the expert said.