Cyber/Traditional Warfare Tactics Converging

Darren Guccione is CEO and co-founder of Keeper Security. He said in the digital age, it’s clear that cyber and traditional warfare tactics will continue to converge as threat actors use cyberattacks to both support and supplement physical attacks.

“Wiper and other forms of destructive malware can destroy and render critical computer systems inoperable, which makes them an obvious tool of choice for many threat actors, including nation-states,” he said. “When used for political purposes, wiper malware may be part of a larger effort to threaten operations, destabilize a government or disrupt critical infrastructure such as power grids, transportation networks and financial institutions. Furthermore, wiper malware can be used to destroy evidence of network infiltration for other purposes such as espionage.”

Cybersecurity is national security and must be prioritized as such, Guccione said.

“Protecting critical infrastructure and the services that people rely on from cyberattacks is as important as protecting it from physical attacks, because the consequences have the potential to be equally devastating,” he said. “The use of wiper malware in the context of cyber and traditional warfare underscores the need for continued cybersecurity investment and international cooperation to combat the threat of cyberattacks.”