About a week ago, it was reported by multiple news outlets that Russian hackers and sympathizers are setting their sights on defense contractors providing weapons to Ukraine.

Lockheed Martin makes the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) that the U.S. has supplied to Ukraine was dealt an ominous threat from Killnet on August 1, according to the pro-Moscow news website Life.

Equally concerning was the subsequent proclamation by its leader that cyberwarfare between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian hackers is likely to result in casualties.

Meanwhile, in the U.K., security services are investigating a major cyberattack on the National Health Service (NHS) that has left patients struggling to get urgent appointments and ambulance callouts. NHS 111 staff across the country were forced to use pens and paper after a crucial system was shut down by hackers feared to be linked to a hostile state.

According to the latest reports, the attack's impact is expected to last for more than three weeks, leaving doctors unable to see patients’ notes.

Both these incidents come after the Five Eyes international intelligence alliance – consisting of Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States – warned of the risk of state-sponsored cyberattacks coordinated by Moscow following the U.K.’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s feared that attacks could target critical organizations, including the NHS, nuclear power stations, and parts of the Civil Service.

We see an escalation in cyber activities across the board, including more identity theft cases in the last 60 days than we’ve seen in the last two years. Botnets are on the rise, and ransomware cases continue to grow. The upside? There are many companies out there, like Trusted Internet, who can prevent most of this before it happens.

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