The EU has applied its first ever sanctions in retaliation for cyber-attacks carried out by state-backed Chinese, Russian and North Korean hackers over recent years. The bloc said it will impose a travel ban and asset freeze on six individuals and three entities in response to the Operation Cloud Hopper, WannaCry and NotPetya
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I\’ll be interested to see what effect the restrictive measures imposed by the EU on these bad actor groups and individuals will have. Any tools we can use to help deter bad actors from directing cyber attacks against their targets are welcome. The EU\’s approach is a new one, and I look forward to observing the results of the sanctions.
News of these sanctions reminds us of just how damaging these attacks were. Whilst sanctions are one level of deterrence for future global attacks, it\’s important to remember how much we can do to make our own domestic cyber defences stronger. The UK government\’s Cyber Essentials scheme, for example, outlines the fundamental security practices that protect against the majority of attacks. At the time of the WannaCry attack, 0 of 236 NHS trusts passed the Cyber Essentials Plus assessment. In 2020, only one of the 236 did. In light of COVID and the strain on the NHS, it is critical we learn our lessons from these attacks and take action. We have a responsibility to protect our citizens, economy, and governments through responsible cyber security practice and these standards are a great place to start. However, the digital world does not observe national borders and working towards international standards for cyber hygiene could help create a more secure world not just for the UK and EU but across the globe.