Cyber Security Update from CERT.JE - Issue #2

Dear all – newsletter no.2! Some weekend reading for you. The cyber security risk of many jurisdictions - including Jersey - has been raised by the invasion of Ukraine. The inclusion of Jersey in Russia’s list of unfriendly nations, due to the implementation of sanctions has also heightened interest by hackers and carries the risk of a nation state response. Russia has a mature offensive cyber capability and has previously shown a willingness to use it. A series of cyber attacks have now been carried out against Ukraine and other targets. Previous attacks against Ukraine, such as the NotPetya malware in 2017, have had a global impact compromising both companies and public services.What actions are we taking?CERT has led the Island’s first C-TAC (Cyber Technical Advisory Cell), following the invasion, and is coordinating response to the raised cyber risk impacting the Island as part of wider emergency planning structures. C-TAC is a multi-agency group with representatives across government and industry. Actions already taken have included issuing controls guidance to industry, awareness raising via local media, webinars and briefings, and updating island risk assessments to ensure appropriate response plans are in place. The continuing development of CERT’s capabilities over 2022 will provide further support. We continue to monitor key threat indicators both directly and via local and international partners, and encourage local organisations to report significant increases in malicious activity. Nevertheless, every organisation is responsible for their own controls – now is a good time to consider what more you can do!Where are the cyber attacks?Whilst there is some evidence of increased interest in Jersey by hacker groups this has not as yet translated into a higher level of attacks. This has surprised many commentators who expected immediate widespread cyber activity, but cyber attacks take time and effort to undertake successfully and those we see in practice are likely to be more targeted. Current advice from the UK’s NCSC remains that the threat level is raised and actions should be taken to improve controls. President Biden has commented that US intelligence believes the Russian Government is exploring options for potential cyber attacks. The situation remains highly volatile and can change at short notice.This is not the moment to stand down – it is the moment to get ready. This is a long term challenge and it is expected that the ongoing raised cyber risk resulting from this conflict – and the increased adoption of offensive cyber techniques by nation states and organised crime, combined with the high degree of dependence on IT by financial services firms, public services and the digital economy – will continue to require a heightened response.What should I do?If you are not sure where to start, implementing the NCSC’s Early Warning System (see below) provides an immediate practical benefit, as does implementing multi-factor authentication throughout your organisation, and patching vulnerabilities quickly and consistently.Regards, Matt