(WXYZ) — The FBI is urging businesses in the U.S. to tighten up their cyberdefenses as a digital attack from Russia looms.
Research shows Russia is taking aim at our critical infrastructure. A successful attack could impact our water, finances, and communication.
President Biden says a virtual attack is part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plan. Benoit-Kurts says electrical services can be impacted by this.
According to the FBI, five U.S. energy companies recently had their systems scanned from a Russian-based IP address.
Here in Michigan, Consumers Energy says it is closely monitoring the situation and working together with its energy partners to stay vigilant.
But how can people protect themselves? Experts say it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stock up on non-perishable foods, water, and candles.
Research also shows that financial organizations are 300 times more likely to experience a denial of service attacks, meaning ATMs could shut down or people would not be able to access their accounts.
“An attack on the top five banks in the country could impact over 40% of the population,” Benoit-Kurts said.
Benoit-Kurts suggests grabbing cash now to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. She also suggests spreading funds into several different banks and changing your passwords.
Ultimately, Benoit-Kurts says it’s not about "if" a company will be hacked, but rather when and how quickly they can bounce back.
Experts say most cyberattacks are temporary situations that can be resolved quickly as long as the business is prepared.
