Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine surge 70% in 2024 with 4,315 assaults on critical infrastructure

The Government Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA), operating under the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, processed 4,315 cyber incidents in 2024, according to the agency's press service. Russia has regularly targeted companies and government institutions with cyberattacks since the start of the all-out war against Ukraine in 2022. The Security Service of Ukraine says Russian special services have planned to destroy Ukraine’s entire cyber defense system. Russia continues its attempts to destabilize Ukraine with cyberweapons, which underscores that the confrontation in cyberspace remains one of the most intense fronts of the war. The recorded cyber incidents in 2024 represent a 69.8% increase compared to 2023, when cybercriminals attacked Ukrainian cyberspace 2,541 times. Local government bodies, government organizations, the security and defense sector, the energy sector, commercial organizations, and telecommunications are the most frequently targeted entities. The most common types of incidents are distributing malware, phishing, malicious connections, and compromising accounts or systems. The Ukrainian cyber response agency emphasizes that the attackers aim to steal sensitive information and destroy data and information systems. CERT-UA experts note a consistent trend toward an increase in cyberattacks, mainly targeting Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The State Service anticipates Russia will continue employing all possible methods to gather information valuable to its operations. Destructive attacks against critical infrastructure, especially the energy sector, are also expected to persist. During the war, the most valuable information for the Russians included details about Ukraine's Defense Forces' plans and data from defense industry enterprises, the government, and other organizations supporting military efforts. To achieve these goals, attackers commonly distribute malware and phishing emails. Ukraine expects these types of cyberattacks to remain the most widespread in the future. On 19 December, Russia conducted one of the largest cyberattacks on Ukraine, disrupting the country's digital government services. The assault targeted multiple government databases. The Diia government services app reported disruptions to several services, including employee reservation, LLC registration, online marriage services, property rights registration, and car re-registration. Read also:

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