Experts warn of potential disruptions from cyberattacks
Observers have highlighted the critical role that machines play in modern societies following a recent global outage. Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at cybersecurity firm WithSecure, emphasized that “modern societies run on technology” and that “computers control everything.” The outage served as a stark reminder that when computers go down, societies almost come to a standstill.
Experts have raised concerns about the possibility of large-scale cyberattacks causing significant disruptions. The United States has accused Chinese state-sponsored hackers of infiltrating critical infrastructure, giving them the capability to carry out future disruptions. However, China has denied these allegations. Both the US and Russia possess advanced offensive cyber capabilities.
Jason Healey, senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, noted that the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has heightened awareness about the potential for countries to engage in cyber warfare. He emphasized that states may not only be stealing information but also carrying out large-scale disruptions in ways that have not been seen before. The episode serves as a reminder of the importance of cybersecurity in an increasingly interconnected world.