Cybersecurity Incidents in 2022 : Espionage Campaigns, Hacking-for-Profit, and Infrastructure Attacks
2022 saw hacks of all types grow in frequency, as entities in both the private and public sectors scrambled to address vulnerabilities. Although the major headlines this year were dominated by articles related to inflation, the Russia-Ukraine War, and other events that pushed cyber incidents off the front pages, ”illicit cyber activity” is still one of the greatest dangers America faces.
As the evolving methods of espionage, cyberwarfare, and for-profit hacking, continue to grow and pose a constant threat, IT systems, infrastructure, and sensitive information remain the top targets.
Despite the fact that the more heavily publicized attacks are carried out by ransomware syndicates and state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat groups (APTs), the past few years have ushered in a rise in the utilization of Ransomware-as-a-Service, which can make anyone willing to buy malicious code on the internet, a hacker.
Cyber attacks can originate from anywhere on earth and are very difficult to initially detect. Most times, entities aren’t even aware that they have been attacked until well after the hack. Furthermore, as cloud computing options and mobile devices becoming more prevalent, it’s easier than ever for cybercriminals to gain access to devices and networks remotely.
With these factors considered, here are some of the most notable cyber events in 2022:
Major Data Breaches Exposed the Information of Millions of Americans: When people think of the recent history of Twitter, they may immediately think of the company’s acquisition by billionaire Elon Musk and the recently publicized revelations regarding the way the October 2020 New York Post reporting of the Hunter Biden laptop was handled. Less memorable, but certainly still significant, is the fact that social media giant and millions of its users were victimized by a data breach this year.
The hacker known as ‘devil’ leverage a vulnerability discovered in January to access the data of over 5.4 million Twitter users. The data included email addresses and phone numbers from celebrities and businesses and was offered for sale on the hacking forum known as BreachForums.
Another breach centered around student loans. This hack exposed social security numbers for more than 2.5 million individuals and occurred via a student loan servicer known as Nelnet Servicing. Nelnet Servicing provides technology services including website portals to two student loan companies, Edfinancial and OSLA services. Student loan registration data including names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and social security numbers, were easily accessible as a result of the hack during June and July of 2022.
Cyber-Warfare Heats Up Between Nation-States
2022 saw many notable cyber events related to everything from reconnaissance and espionage to hacks against critical infrastructure. Military cyber operations like this were carried out on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as in cyber-attacks that were related to other long-standing conflicts between established belligerents.
The Ukraine conflict’s early days saw the Russian-based Hermetic Wiper attacks that devastated private and public entities in Ukraine by wiping out data on Windows-based computing systems, as well as February’s distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against financial entities in Ukraine. Additionally, in the months after the conflict started, hacktivism groups sympathetic to Russia began organizing cyber-attacks via the messaging app Telegram.
Outside of the Ukraine, the summer saw Iranian state-owned Khuzestan Steel Co. and two other steel production entities, temporarily halt production after suffering an Israel-based cyber-attack. The Israeli hacking group claiming responsibility said it targeted Iranian steel companies in response to the “aggression of the Islamic Republic.”
Lastly, the Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat group (APT) known as APT41 or Sparkling Goblin was responsible for stealing at least $20 million in COVID relief (Small Business Administration loans and unemployment insurance). The United States Secret Service told NBC News that there are currently over 1,000 ongoing investigations into the defrauding of public benefits programs, with China’s APT41 being “a notable player.”
Espionage Operations Target Policy Though Leaders
A North Korean APT known as Thallium targeted individuals who carry influential in foreign governments in an effort to attempt to decipher where Western policy may be headed on North Korea.
In October, Daniel DePetris, who is a U.S.-based foreign affairs analyst, received an email that claimed to be from the director of the 38 North think-tank, Jenny Town, commissioning a policy article. But it was actually sent by a member of Thallium.
Despite these government-sponsored attacks, most of the cyber-attacks occurring daily mainly target individuals. Whether it’s fast spreading ransomware like the strains associated with the STOP/Djvu Family, or browser hijackers taking you to dangerous sites loaded with malware, with each passing year the likelihood increases that you will be the victim of an online attack.
Despite the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) investing billions of dollars towards keeping Americans safe, widespread vulnerabilities like the Log4Shell Vulnerability still exist, and there just aren’t enough resources available to keep every American safe. So, in all likelihood, next year, much like 2022, will play host to the most cyberattacks ever.
Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, Editorial Director for Reactionary Times, and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is focused on cybersecurity and politics, has been published by many of the most heavily trafficked websites in the world.
Cybersecurity Incidents in 2022 : Espionage Campaigns, Hacking-for-Profit, and Infrastructure Attacks
