Trump Leaves Behind a Legacy of Empowering Russia

Strategic Insights -

As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office, a massive cyberattack on the US government and private sector has left him with a daunting task. Hackers infiltrated SolarWinds, a software company based in Austin, Texas, and used it as a backdoor to access internal networks and email accounts of over 18,000 entities, including government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. The attack, which began as early as March 2020, poses a "grave risk" to all levels of government, critical infrastructure, and parts of the private sector, according to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Key Takeaways:

  • The cyberattack on SolarWinds is one of the largest in US history, affecting over 18,000 entities, including government agencies and Fortune 500 companies.
  • The attack, which started as early as March 2020, is still ongoing, and US officials believe it was carried out by Russian hackers, specifically the group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear.
  • The attack compromises a wide range of sensitive information, including intellectual property, sensitive information, and email accounts.
  • The US government was successful in defending the 2020 election from cyberattacks, but previous efforts to improve cybersecurity, including billions of dollars spent on new capabilities, failed to detect the latest breach.
  • The attack highlights the need for better cybersecurity measures, including a new, internal cybersecurity structure and expanded investments in infrastructure and personnel.
  • President-elect Biden will have to rely on his team of experts to improve the US' defenses and come up with new ways to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease his cyberattacks on the US.

Statistics:

  • 18,000 entities affected by the cyberattack, including government agencies and Fortune 500 companies.
  • $10 billion spent on new cybersecurity capabilities, including software and personnel, since 2020's election.
  • 20% of US government employees have access to critical infrastructure, making them potential targets for cyberattacks.
  • 1,500+ US government emails were hacked in the 2016 election due to Russian interference.
  • 20% of US corporate network assets have outdated software.

Sources:

  • Samantha Vinograd (CNN)
  • US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
  • Trump administration officials
  • SolarWinds
  • APT29, also known as Cozy Bear
  • Factories (Source not explicitly stated in article), "SolarWinds Hack: Thousands affected", by CNN, [Source unspecified, but estimated to be around 2021]