The Finnish government has stated that Finnish organizations are facing an increase in cyber attacks since the country’s entry into NATO. The Finnish Transport and Communication Agency (Traficom) revealed that the Cybersecurity Center is seeing a rise in notifications of cyber attacks from critical infrastructure and administrative companies, with growing interest in Finnish networks and institutions. This trend of rising attacks appears to be persistent.
The agency has attributed the growth of cyber attacks to Russia. Traficom stated that Moscow has transitioned from collecting intelligence locally to doing so in the digital space. The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service added that Russian interest in Finnish companies is also on the rise since Russia has lost access to Western markets. This makes it more and more interested in acquiring information about company development.
In September of last year, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service cautioned that the number of Russian cyberspy campaigns could surge during winter due to issues affecting human intelligence. The service stated that Russia’s traditional intelligence collection approach became more complex after February of 2022, as many Russian diplomats were ousted from the West.
It is advisable for Finnish companies to be extra cautious in the face of this heightened threat. The cybersecurity awareness of staff should be prioritized, and regular risk assessments and backups should be carried out. Additionally, protective measures such as multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection systems, and firewalls should be employed. Companies are reminded to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately.
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