Federal Agencies in ‘Elevated State’ for Russian Cyberthreats

U.S. agencies remain on high alert for Russian cyberthreats, despite no major attacks on the U.S. homeland during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Department of Homeland Security and OMB officials told the House Cybersecurity Subcommittee during a hearing Tuesday. Federal chief information officers have been convening meetings since November on protective measures, and they remain in an “elevated state,” said Christopher DeRusha, deputy national cyber director-federal cybersecurity, Office of the National Cyber Director. It was a “paramount concern” well before the Russian invasion, said Eric Goldstein, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's executive assistant director-cybersecurity: The U.S. hasn’t seen any “damaging attacks,” but agencies remain in a posture of “heightened risk” and are focused on sharing information as quickly as possible.