The Austrian Ministry of the Interior (BMI) has noted an increase in Russian cyber attacks since the Russian offensive war in Ukraine at the end of February 2022. The BMI made this known after a program of the Russian secret service for cyber attacks was announced on Friday. However, no concrete conclusions can be drawn from the so-called “Vulcan Files” about attacks in Austria, now or in the past.
“A strong focus at the moment is the current war in Ukraine, which has seen an increase in cyber-attacks by Russian state actors since its inception,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The ‘Vulkan Files’ offer a glimpse into how Russian intelligence agencies are hiring consultancies to build the conceptual framework for cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. However, this data does not address how these designed platforms are or were implemented in practice,” the ministry’s statement said.
The threat of cyber attacks remains high
Austria has invested heavily in cybersecurity in recent years and the national cybersecurity strategy has been updated since 2021. Nevertheless, the threat of cyber attacks remains high, the ministry emphasizes. The Federal Ministry of the Interior stressed: “Companies and authorities must continue to invest in their IT security and protect themselves against potential attacks.”
The Cyber Security Center (CSC) of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) monitors and processes cyber attacks against constitutional institutions in Austria, international organizations and critical infrastructure.
“Vulkan Files” provide deep insights
The so-called “Vulkan Files” were evaluated by a research network of various media, including “Spiegel”, ZDF and “Süddeutsche Zeitung” as well as “Standard”. It concerns data leaks by the Moscow hacking company NTC Vulkan, which should show how Russia conducts disinformation campaigns on social media through private companies. According to investigation results, NTC Vulkan has connections with the three Russian secret services FSB, GRU and SWR.
The company builds programs for them that enable cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, which can derail trains or paralyze airport computers.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
