U.S. Government Attributes Cyberattacks on SATCOM Networks to Russian State-Sponsored Malicious Cyber Actors

CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have updated the joint cybersecurity advisory, Strengthening Cybersecurity of SATCOM Network Providers and Customers, originally released March 17, 2022, with U.S. government attribution to Russian state-sponsored malicious cyber actors. The United States assesses Russia launched cyberattacks in late February against commercial satellite communications networks to disrupt Ukrainian command and control during the Russia invasion, and those actions had spillover impacts into other European countries.

CISA is working with both international and JCDC partners to strengthen our collective cybersecurity resilience—especially in the critical infrastructure that governments and citizens rely on—and to protect against and respond to malicious cyber activity.  We continue to urge public and private sector partners to review and implement the guidance contained in U.S. government cybersecurity advisories, including Strengthening Cybersecurity of SATCOM Network Providers and Customers, the January 2022 cybersecurity advisory on Protecting VSAT Communications, and the April 2022 cybersecurity advisory on Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Threats to Critical Infrastructure. CISA also recommends partners review the CISA Shields Up, Shields Up Technical Guidance, and Russia webpages to stay current on the preventive measures that can help guard against Russian cyber threats and tactics.