As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues, the UK government is offering further advice to organisations in an effort to reduce the effects of growing Russian cyber-attacks. In their latest announcement, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has advised organisations to reconsider their use of Russian technology.
This advice comes as concerns have arisen around the potential use of Russian software as a way of compromising UK businesses. Cyber security software is of critical importance for this announcement, as it could be used as a vehicle to reduce the cyber security capacity of organisations.
The NCSC went on to highlight the popular antivirus software Kaspersky, which is headquartered in Russia. They expressed that for individual users, the software is safe to use but that businesses should consider moving to a different antivirus supplier. This mirrored their warnings in 2017 that Kaspersky should not be used by any government departments for national security reasons.
What does this announcement mean for my business?
The outcomes of this announcement could be important for your organisation. Within the announcement, the NCSC focused on a certain subset of businesses that should reconsider their use of Russian technology:
- Public sector organisations
- Any organisations providing services to Ukraine
- Any organisations providing services related to critical infrastructure
- Organisations that utilise sensitive information that may be useful to Russia
- Organisations that could benefit Russia if compromised, whether it be from an intelligence or PR perspective
If your business falls under any of these categories, it’s important to act. Conduct a thorough inventory of the technologies that your business uses, especially those that are relevant to your organisation’s cyber security.
Identify any technologies that are Russian in origin, or have their main headquarters in Russia, and consider looking for an alternative supplier. If your organisation uses Kaspersky, it’s advisable that you switch to a new supplier as soon as possible.
It’s important to note that not every Russian technology is at risk or shouldn’t be used. Think carefully about each technology and consider carefully whether it’s important or necessary to switch to something else.
If your organisation isn’t in the categories above, it’s still worth considering the technologies that you use. Russian cyber-attacks have been on the rise for several years. These attacks have only risen since the beginning of the war with Ukraine.
When it comes to the protection of sensitive data and your business operations, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. We recommend carefully reviewing the guidance from the NCSC and considering which technologies you should switch.
Unsure whether you are using Russian technologies? Are you confused about how to switch to new suppliers or which suppliers to choose? Do you have any other questions about the potential of Russian cyber-attacks affecting your business? Get in touch with us today. Our cyber security experts will be happy to discuss your concerns and work with you to develop a cyber security strategy that works.
