UK unmasks LockBit ransomware affiliate as high-ranking hacker in Russia state-backed cybercrime gang
TechCrunchSep 29
UK Minister Warns of Russian AI Cyberattacks
Above: Pat McFadden, UK chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Image copyright: Hollie Adams/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Facts
Speaking at the NATO Cyber Defense Conference on Monday, Pat McFadden, the UK's Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said Russia is waging a "hidden war" of cyberattacks against "a number of NATO members and partners."
McFadden said Russia has targeted UK media, telecommunications infrastructure, political institutions, and energy infrastructure, adding that Moscow's Unit 29155 has attacked the "government services, financial services, transport systems, [and] energy and healthcare sectors of NATO members."
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
It's time for Europe and NATO to double down on their kinetic and cyberwarfare defenses. And as Putin becomes more emboldened and Ukrainian support from the US becomes uncertain, McFadden's speech is a welcome source of motivation. Moscow has already shown its willingness to attack NATO countries' infrastructure — making Putin's latest threats all the more serious.
Pro-Russia narrative
Western countries are lucky Russia hasn't already targeted them, considering that Western special forces troops and weapons have already entered Russian territory. Putin is simply responding to months of Western talk about sending troops to Russia, not to mention their blatant green-lighting of long-range missiles being shot into Russian territory. NATO is declaring war on Russia, not the other way around.