All articles tagged with #critical infrastructure
A five-day blackout in Berlin caused by suspected sabotage by a far-left militant group highlights Germany's vulnerability to attacks on critical infrastructure, with widespread disruptions affecting hospitals, schools, and residents, prompting discussions on security measures.
The NSB reports a significant increase in Chinese cyberattacks on Taiwan's critical infrastructure in 2025, with attacks averaging 2.63 million daily attempts, especially targeting energy and emergency sectors, employing tactics like vulnerability exploitation, DDoS, social engineering, and supply chain attacks, involving major hacker groups and international cooperation to enhance cybersecurity defenses.
Advancements in AI are enabling hackers to launch faster, smarter, and more personalized cyberattacks, posing significant threats to critical infrastructure, financial services, and organizations worldwide. While malicious actors are leveraging AI for malicious purposes, cybersecurity professionals are also using AI to enhance defenses, automate threat detection, and respond more effectively, creating a high-stakes race between attackers and defenders.
Retired NSA and U.S. Cyber Command head Tim Haugh warns that China's hacking of U.S. networks is extensive, targeting critical infrastructure and every American, with potential implications for national security and economic stability. Despite U.S. efforts, China's capabilities continue to grow, posing a significant threat that could be exploited in crises or conflicts, emphasizing the need for stronger cybersecurity measures and partnerships.
Retired NSA General Tim Haugh warns that China has extensively hacked into US critical infrastructure, including water, power, and transportation systems, aiming to gain strategic advantage in crises or conflicts, raising significant national security concerns.
Denmark's Prime Minister described a drone incident at Copenhagen Airport as the country's most serious attack on critical infrastructure, with multiple drones causing temporary airport shutdowns and investigations into the capable operator behind the act, amid rising regional security concerns involving drone and airspace violations.
Russia is conducting extensive sabotage operations against Europe's critical infrastructure as part of its hybrid warfare strategy, aiming to destabilize European governments and weaken NATO and EU responses. Despite efforts, European nations struggle to coordinate effective deterrence, with Russia exploiting legal gaps and recruiting proxies online, while infrastructure vulnerabilities persist due to underinvestment.
Alaska Airlines experienced a systemwide outage attributed to a 'technology issue,' raising concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in aviation, especially with threats like the Chinese state-sponsored group Salt Typhoon potentially involved. The incident underscores the urgent need to treat airlines as critical infrastructure and enhance cybersecurity measures to protect lives, the economy, and national security.
Alaska Airlines experienced a systemwide outage due to a technology issue, highlighting the fragility of digital infrastructure in aviation. While not caused by a cyberattack, the incident underscores the sector's vulnerability to cyber threats, especially given recent cyber espionage activities by state-sponsored actors like Salt Typhoon. The event raises urgent calls for treating airlines as critical infrastructure, implementing robust cybersecurity measures, and increasing federal and private sector cooperation to prevent future disruptions that could threaten lives and the economy.
The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned Chinese cybersecurity firm Sichuan Silence and its employee Guan Tianfeng for exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in Sophos firewalls, compromising around 81,000 firewalls globally, including over 23,000 in the U.S. The attack targeted critical infrastructure, including a government agency and an energy company, with the intent to steal data and potentially deploy Ragnarok ransomware, posing significant risks to human life.
Finland has called on NATO and the European Union to enhance protections for critical infrastructure networks following damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. The incidents have raised concerns about potential sabotage, prompting network companies to investigate the cause. This appeal for increased security measures highlights the growing vulnerabilities of essential infrastructure in the region.
NATO conducted a drill, Exercise Bold Machina 2024, to test underwater sensors designed to protect critical infrastructure by attempting to bypass them with divers and drones. The exercise, held in Italy, aimed to evaluate the detection capabilities of various sensors and provide insights into signature management underwater. The initiative is partly driven by the threat to infrastructure highlighted by the war in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for multinational cooperation in defending key underwater structures against threats from Russia and terrorist organizations.
FBI director Christopher Wray warned that Chinese hackers have infiltrated US critical infrastructure, targeting companies in telecommunications, energy, water, and 23 pipeline operators, with the intent to potentially cause devastating damage. China's broader intent is seen as a means to deter the US from defending Taiwan, although China denies government involvement and claims the hacking is unrelated to them. The hackers operate botnets to conceal their activities, and private sector companies have attributed the attacks to China.
FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that Chinese hackers associated with the group Volt Typhoon are poised to launch a devastating attack on U.S. critical infrastructure, having gained access to various sectors including energy and water. While China denies government involvement, security researchers have linked the group to the country. The hackers' activities align with China's broader geopolitical goals, and their aim is to induce panic and spy on organizations without detection. The U.S. is on high alert as China seeks to secure access to critical networks before a direct confrontation.
FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that Chinese government-linked hackers have infiltrated U.S. critical infrastructure through an ongoing hacking campaign known as Volt Typhoon, targeting companies in telecommunications, energy, water, and other critical sectors. Wray expressed concerns about China's ability to cause havoc on American infrastructure at a time of its choosing, potentially inducing panic. China denied government involvement, attributing Volt Typhoon to a criminal ransomware group, while the FBI pointed to evidence linking the cyber activities to China.