Shields Up

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfolds, experts are urging American businesses to double down on their cybersecurity protocols. 

In mid-February, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an advisory to U.S. organizations to put their “shields up” as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalate. The shields up initiative encourages organizations of all sizes to take steps to reduce their chances of a cyberattack and ensure that they’re prepared in the case of a breach. The recommendations include assessing unusual behavior, assembling a crisis-response team, and shoring up vulnerabilities that might exist in your network. 

“T]he reason why there are these bulletins coming out, especially directed at small and medium-sized businesses, is that we have learned the hard way about the fragility of the global supply chain,” says Theresa Payton, a former White House Chief Information Officer under George W. Bush.