Cyber ​​attacks can disable government sites

Microsoft warned on Sunday that a massive cyber attack on Ukrainian government ministries and sites could disrupt the government’s entire IT infrastructure if Kiev saw Moscow’s hand in it. Several Ukrainian government sites were the target of a cyber attack on Friday, which took place against the backdrop of high tensions between Kiev and Moscow, which have been accused of invading its Ukrainian neighbor.

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“Malicious software that looks like ransomware, but does not have a recovery mechanism, is intended to destroy and deactivate targeted sites, not to collect ransom money,” the American giant software posted on its blog. In addition, according to Microsoft, the attack appears to have targeted more companies than initially thought. “We have detected this malware in dozens of government-owned organizations, but NGOs and IT companies are also based in Ukraine. At this point, we can not say what the operational cycle of this attack is and how many systems may have been affected, ”the company added.

He said he had not yet identified the source of the attacks. Ukraine and the West see this as Moscow’s hand, and some believe it could be a precursor to a ground military offensive. Ukraine said on Friday that there were “preliminary traces” of possible involvement of Russian secret services. The Kremlin immediately denied the allegations. The cyber-attack comes as tensions between Ukraine and Russia are at an all-time high, with Kiev accusing it of concentrating troops on its border in preparation for a possible invasion.