What is a cyber attack, is Russia using them and have they ever been used against the UK? – World News

Ukraine is believed to have been the target of cyberattacks from Russia aimed at a variety of key infrastructure points from banks to government ministries, but have they ever been used against the UK? Here’s what you need to know

Russia has invaded Ukraine, with reports of widespread breakouts of violence and aggression in multiple parts of the country.

Reports of attacks on key strategic points such as airbases and military facilities have been widespread, with loss of life thought to have taken place on both sides.

There are videos and images to boot, with footage of helicopters and troops in action flooding the internet.

But sharing harrowing evidence of the fighting isn’t the only role the internet will play in the conflict.

Digital technology can itself be a weapon, with cyber attacks an increasingly common part of 21st-century warfare.

What is a cyber attack?

A cyber attack can come in many forms and be carried out for many reasons, from crime to warfare.

IBM, one of the largest computing firms in America, said: “Cyber attacks are unwelcome attempts to steal, expose, alter, disable or destroy information through unauthorised access to computer systems.

“In addition to cybercrime, cyber attacks can also be associated with cyber warfare or cyberterrorism, like hacktivists. Motivations can vary, in other words. And in these motivations, there are three main categories: criminal, political and personal.”

The firm says there are a number of different ways cyberattacks can be carried out, from phishing and malware to those that find weaknesses and poison systems from the inside and give the hacker control.

For more information on the types of cyber-attacks out there, visit the National Cyber Security Centre.

Have cyber attacks been used on Ukraine?

On the morning of Thursday February 24, large-scale cyber attacks were aimed at the Ukrainian government website.

Websites for Ukraine ’s defence, interior and foreign ministries were all targeted, leaving them slow or unresponsive.

Another attack was reported to have hit the Ukrainian government the day before.

The type of attacks that have been used against Ukraine direct junk traffic at the sites leaving them unusable, the Independent reports.

The UK government said the same type of attacks, known as distributed denial of service (DDoS), were also carried out on the Ukrainian banking system on February 15 and 16.

They said the attacks “involved the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate”.

Speaking about the banking attacks, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The attack showed a continued disregard for Ukrainian sovereignty. This activity is yet another example of Russia ’s aggressive acts against Ukraine.

“This disruptive behaviour is unacceptable – Russia must stop this activity and respect Ukrainian sovereignty. We are steadfast in our support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.”

How could a cyber attack affect the UK?

Cyber attacks are not unheard of in the UK, and could feasibly take place were a hacker able to navigate the defences of businesses and government.

They can vary in scale and intention, with attacks affecting British business and interests not uncommon.

In November 2021, Sky News reported that the number of cyberattacks on the UK had reached a new high, with a number of attacks believed by GCHQ to have come from countries including Russia and China.

The publication reported that the UK had to deal with 777 attacks over the course of the year, two of which were described by the director of GCHQ, Jeremy Flemming as “two of the most serious global cyber incidents we’ve seen in recent years”.

In the past, cyber attacks have been known to target the NHS and Microsoft.

It has since been reported that UK firms have been warned to prepare for fallout from cyber-attacks surrounding the Ukraine conflict, the Guardian has said.

British officials are reportedly concerned about ‘spillover’ from the conflict, which was demonstrated by the attacks on the banks last week.