Cyber security threats grow for Americans as Russia invades Ukraine

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - As Russia moves into Ukraine in a violent and bloody attack, United States cyber experts expect Russian criminal hackers to follow with cyberattacks with multiple goals in mind.

Paul Sems is a Managing Director of TrustedSec, a cyber security consulting firm based in Strongsville and he said hackers could try to stifle the U.S. economy, attempt to steal personal information through our banks in an effort to send the economy into chaos, and very well may attack social media sites to spread disinformation.

“We are going to see a lot of chaos, and how that directly relates to people here in Cleveland, Ohio. Well, I think you’re going to see a lot of cyber bullets flying back and forth and that can cause collateral damage,” Sems said.

In May of 2020, hackers took down the Colonial Pipeline, which runs through the southeast United States, by attacking its billing systems.

In the process, gas and jet fuel inventory were seriously impacted which led to panic buying, closed gas stations and canceled flights throughout the south.

Russian hackers certainly have the capability to do the same and may be motivated to do so due to sanctions imposed on Russia by the world wide community.

“There’s the potential that ancillary services around our power supply’s and energy could be attacked and those could be shut down for preventative reasons or other reasons that could be a disruption,” Sems said.

United States Homeland Security has enacted Shields Up, an online program for businesses and the public to lower their security risk.

Data breaches at U.S. banks are certainly another possibility and we have the seen the damage that can be done through homegrown attacks.

Sems advises locking your credit, and using multi-factor authentication, whenever possible.

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