Concerns about cyber attacks in America

In early May, a cyberattack on the American group Colonial Pipeline caused a rapid shortage of gasoline in the states of the American east coast. Cybercriminals Have Ransomed $ 4.4 Million! This new episode reveals the weaknesses of our interconnected system in a power play with worrying consequences.

On May 7, a computer attack targeted the pipeline that connects Texas to Florida. However, it transports nearly half of the refined products of the east coast of the United States. Fearing the shortage, consumers flocked to gas stations, further compounding the effects of the shortage. In a country where everything is done by car, the lack of fuel permanently disrupts habits and wreaks havoc! So much so that three states have declared a state of emergency.

The DarkSide criminal group reportedly received a huge ransom paid in cryptocurrency to stop their attack. As business networking grows, malicious processes become more common. In France, several hospitals suffered attacks during the coronavirus epidemic, with the contempt of all patients in distress. These two examples are far from isolated and cybercrime is on the rise.

Faced with this threat, States are rather helpless, because the borders within which their judicial authority is exercised do not exist on the Internet. Hackers can act from a distance, without being detected since they know how to hide their real position by using proxies. Which raises the question of who to attribute the attacks to. This flaw in the system benefits criminals, but also States, which know how to use this tool to spy on or disrupt their opponents. Investigations thus reveal that alongside cybercriminals, Russia and China regularly launch attacks on our systems. And in a particularly competitive world, it is difficult to find reliable allies to fight this network. To guard against this, some, like China, choose to develop their own network to limit foreign influences. This requires finding reliable allies with whom to fight this scourge, without compromising our secrets!

Did you know ?

Today there are specific recruitments in the armed forces to fight in the cyber field and actively contribute to the defense of our interests in the digital space! The military high school of Saint-Cyr-l’École, in the Paris region, thus offers a BTS unique in France with cyber defense option.

Alexandre Thellier

Actuailes n ° 132 – 26 mai 2021

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