Russian Cyberattacks Warning, Meta Russia Disinformation, IIJA Requirements

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2022 — The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Security Agency released an advisory about Russian cyberattacks on Wednesday in partnership with multiple international organizations.

“Evolving intelligence indicates that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks,” the advisory said. “Recent Russian state-sponsored cyber operations have included distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and older operations have included deployment of destructive malware against Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure organizations.”

The advisory also warned that some cybercrime groups are working with the Russian government.

This development comes after government officials warned the private sector about potential Russian cyberattacks in the most recent episode of CBS’s “60 Minutes,” including an uptick in Russian officials scanning and probing American companies in an effort to attack.

The U.S. Government has made many other efforts to protect companies from potential Russian cyberattacks. Along with warnings, lawmakers have passed legislation including the Better Cybercrime Metrics Act and the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022. Other government officials, including people from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and President Joe Biden himself, have also publicly warned citizens about the danger of Russian cyberattacks.

Lawmakers urge Meta to stop Russian disinformation

On Wednesday, Lawmakers released a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg asking him to address the spread of disinformation surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the platform to Spanish-speaking users.

“We write to you regarding our serious concern with Meta’s (formerly Facebook’s) lack of progress addressing the pressing issue of Spanish-language disinformation across its platforms. Since the beginning of the year, Russian state-controlled outlets have made a concentrated effort to target Spanish-speaking communities to spread false-narratives leading up to, and in the aftermath of, the invasion of Ukraine. The viral spread of these narratives stands in stark contrast to assurances that Meta made to the public and Members of Congress that it is prioritizing the pressing needs of Hispanic communities in the United States,” states the letter.

The letter was signed by multiple Democratic lawmakers including Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn, and Jim Costa, D-CA.

Lawmakers concluded the letter by asking Zuckerberg to answer a series of questions centered on addressing the issue.

The IIJA needs workers, equipment

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will fail if an adequate supply of labor and equipment isn’t provided, said a Thursday blog post from the think tank Technology Policy Institute.

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has made money for broadband and other infrastructure much less scarce than it normally is. Unfortunately, the real resources—labor and equipment—appear to be far scarcer than they normally are. Even with the additional money, the IIJA will not succeed if these constraints on real resources are not addressed,” said TPI President Scott Wallsten.

The country is currently facing supply chain issues that are affecting the supply of equipment.