In 2022, Ukraine was hit by new malware designed to wipe data, showing that cyber war is already here. In the first ten weeks alone of 2022, over 150 cyberattacks were launched against Ukraine. In January 2022, hackers disabled more than 70 government websites in Ukraine, and in February 2022, the FB asked US companies to alert them to “any increased [cyber]activity against Ukraine or US critical infrastructure. Emphasizing the severity of this threat, in March of 2022, there were over 6 billion potential cyberattacks worldwide in a single 24-hour period, with Russia, Ukraine, and the US being the most targeted countries.
Experts say that Ukraine is being used as a testing ground, as both cyber attacks and defense for these attacks have only increased over time. Cyber war will take many forms, being a threat to both the physical and digital assets of people across the globe. The pandemic has only heightened the potential or damage from cyber threats, as more people than ever are working from home and in virtual spaces. Both cyber attacks and cyber war, although they vary in severity, are a fear that Americans admit to having, as reports show that less than 20% of Americans are totally confident that the government will be able to protect them from cyber warfare.
Fortunately, Americans can prevent being susceptible to cyber warfare by updating software, backing up important documents, backing up devices, changing important passwords, keeping cash reserves, and having generators at the ready in case of emergency. Cyber war is upon us, leading many citizens to take measures to protect themselves and their assets.
