Nation-state threat actors are motivated by intelligence, cash

Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, including hospitals, are increasingly being carried out by elaborate and sophisticated criminal gangs, some with the backing of nation-states, according to Errol Weiss, chief security officer at H-ISAC. These threat actors are patient and difficult to detect, making their attacks particularly dangerous. Their motivations include intellectual property theft and financial gain, with ransomware being used as a means to raise cash. While there have been service disruptions resulting from ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations, there is a possibility that nation-states could deploy ransomware to specifically disrupt services and cause a terrorist-level event. The Biden administration has signaled that it may treat some ransomware attacks as terrorism and respond with military action. Congress is also considering implementing measures to improve cyber incident response, although mandatory incident reporting requirements may not be the most effective approach. Weiss believes that addressing the use of digital currency in the underground economy and regulating it appropriately is crucial to tackling the ransomware problem. He hopes that his Fireside Chat will raise awareness about the real and serious nature of cyberattacks and the need for everyone to take measures to protect themselves and their data.