Government agencies’ computers are at risk in Ukraine after the cyberattack that hit the country on January 13th.
Microsoft has released an official statement stating that the machines have been hit by malware that can severely damage them and render them unusable. The virus has spread to the networks of several Ukrainian organizations, including those that perform critical functions or are at the forefront of emergencies.
“Our investigation teams have identified the malware on dozens of affected systems, and that number may increase as our investigation continues,” says Microsoft.
On January 13, the message appeared on various government sites in the country “be afraid and expect the worst”, as a result of a widespread cyberattack. The perpetrators of the attack and their ultimate goals, which Microsoft is investigating, are not yet known.
A Ukrainian security official told Reuters on Saturday that the government believes it was hacker groups linked to Russian intelligence services. Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement.
In 2017 Russia was accused ofNotPetya ransomware attack, which targeted government, financial and energy institutions in Ukraine and caused more than $ 10 billion in damage worldwide.
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