U.S. administration issues alert on potential Russian cyber assault in relation to Ukrainian conflict

Alerts Issued by Federal Authorities After Sharing Classified Cyber Threat Data with Over a Hundred Critical Infrastructure Companies

, and Administrator

2025 September 12 . 1:28 AM

2 min read

U.S. Administration Issues Cybersecurity Threat Alert Linked to Potential Russian Attacks Following... — U.S. Administration Issues Cybersecurity Threat Alert Linked to Potential Russian Attacks Following Ukraine Invasions

U.S. administration issues alert on potential Russian cyber assault in relation to Ukrainian conflict

President Joe Biden issued a statement on Monday, reiterating prior warnings about potential cyberattacks by Russia in response to economic sanctions. The White House's stream of cybersecurity warnings is aimed at hardening critical infrastructure security.

In a related development, a cyberattack disrupted satellite communications to wind turbines, or wind energy converters (WECs), of a German company named Enercon. About 40% of the affected WECs in Central Europe are now back online, according to updates from Enercon. The company's spokesperson stated that the teams are replacing the SAT modems damaged during the attack.

The FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a warning last week about potential cyberattacks against satellite communications networks based in the U.S. or allied nations. This warning was an attempt by Russia to retaliate against the U.S. for economic sanctions, according to officials from Mandiant.

John Hultquist, VP of Intelligence Analysis at Mandiant, said Russia is probably looking to aggressively respond in a manner that won't lead to war with the U.S., and cyberattacks are a means for them to exact costs without crossing a major red line. Hultquist added that cyberattacks are often reversible and nonlethal, but the economic and psychological cost of an attack can be significant.

To combat this threat, the federal government recently convened more than 100 companies and sectors to share classified cyberthreat information based on evolving U.S. threat intelligence. Officials shared more detailed briefings with those organizations likely to be most affected by potential cyberattacks.

Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology in the Biden administration, spoke about this during a White House press briefing on Monday. Neuberger stated that even sectors not seen as specific targets should take additional measures to secure their infrastructure.

The administration's broader, unclassified warnings were meant to raise awareness and provide a call to action. Corporate stakeholders are seeking to better understand the risk calculus of their technology stacks, with the question of whether they are a target being a major concern.

In Germany, no specific organizations have been publicly identified as directly affected by Russian attacks on satellite communication networks. However, Germany is actively enhancing its space security strategy and monitoring the electromagnetic attacks by Russia in the Baltic Sea region, which is relevant to its defense posture. Germany is also cooperating with allies such as Poland to develop space and satellite capabilities for mutual benefit and security.

President Biden stated in his statement that his administration will use every tool to deter, disrupt, and respond to cyberattacks against critical infrastructure. The federal government cannot defend against the cyber threat alone, according to Biden's statement. Therefore, it is crucial for all sectors to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions to secure their infrastructure.