White House warns of possible Russian cyberstrike on US critical infrastructure

The Biden administration warned on Monday that it believes Russian state hackers may step up a cyber offensive that targets US organizations, particularly organizations in the private sector providing critical infrastructure.

Administration officials said that they have not found any evidence of a specific cyberattack plan. Security defenders should be prepared for the possibility of Kremlin-sponsored strikes on US-based computers and networks, according to officials in recent weeks. The White House is once again urging vigilance as the US and its allies have increased sanctions on Russia.

Part of Russia’s playbook

Anne Neuberger, the White, said that the Russian government is exploring options for cyber attacks on critical infrastructure in the United States.

This is a critical moment to accelerate our work to improve domestic cybersecurity and bolster our national resilience, said President Joe Biden in a statement. I warned about the potential for Russia to conduct malicious cyber activity against the United States in response to the economic costs we have imposed on Russia. It's part of Russia's plan.

Private sector organizations are urged to shore up their defenses by installing security patches and taking other proactive measures.

Neuberger told reporters that Monday's warningspeaks to evolving threat intelligence and a potential shift in intention, as Russia potentially considers conducting cyber attacks in response to sanctions. US officials are seeing possible preparations from Kremlin-backed hackers. The White House briefed hundreds of companies about the threat.

Neuberger said that there is still more that needs to be done to have the confidence that we have locked our digital doors.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has created a website that gives guidance on how potential targets can better protect themselves.