Jersey businesses are urged to bolster their digital defences against Russian cyber-attack threats.

Experts say more than 80% of the digital attacks on Jersey in 2023 stemmed from Russian criminal organisations or their affiliates.

Jersey Cyber Security Centre director Matt Palmer has:-

• Warned that cyber-attacks originating from Russia remain a “continuing reality” that Jersey is “going to see more of.”
• Renewed calls for local businesses to bolster their digital defences in response to threats.
• Stressed that Russia had a “highly educated, competent and quite significant population of cyber-security specialists”.

Mr Palmer’s comments came after Ukraine’s deputy prime minister claimed that Russia was behind a recent large-scale cyber-attack.

At the end of 2022, Mr Palmer warned:-

• That Jersey had been included on a list of “unfriendly” jurisdictions published by the Kremlin. He said this list would be seen as a “target list” for cyber-crime groups aligned with Vladimir Putin’s regime.

Former UK Special Forces director Sir Graeme Lamb recently told the JEP that:-

• Jersey should not rule itself out as a target for a Russian state-backed cyber-attack – partially because of its “attractive” position as a Western financial hub

Mr Palmer said:

• “Our head is above the parapet, whether we like it or not.
• “The challenge that we have with Russia, in particular, is that you have a highly educated, highly capable and quite significant population of cyber-security specialists.
• Their country is unfriendly at the moment; therefore, what you have – in addition to nation-state activity – are organised crime groups and so on, who may feel that attacking our countries is an acceptable thing to do.”
• “That, unfortunately, is a continuing reality. And when you look at what’s happening geopolitically in the world, you can say this will likely continue to be a reality, so we’ll see more of this challenge.”

Mr Palmer said.

• The JCSC would work with the government to encourage businesses to bolster their digital defences through a “cyber essentials” certification, which can be achieved through four local providers.
• “We need local organisations, both public sector and private sector, to see cyber essentials as a minimum standard that they need to meet,”

The local “cyber essentials” certification providers are.

• Clarity,
• CyberTec Security,
• Prosperity 24/7 and
• Resolution IT.

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