The US administration has warned that the response to Russian cyberattacks on US infrastructure may extend beyond imposing sanctions on Moscow.
Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, stated in an interview with CBS published on Sunday that intelligence agencies have been tasked with continuing their work to identify the "culprits" and assess the extent of the damages, emphasizing that the current phase is implementation. Sullivan confirmed that preparing the response could take weeks, not months, and will involve a range of tools, both visible and invisible, noting that it will not be limited to sanctions.
Last December, US media circulated claims about the success of a group of Russian hackers in launching cyberattacks on several government systems in the United States, including the Treasury Department and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the Commerce Department. In response, the Russian embassy in the United States announced that attempts by US media to accuse Russia of launching cyberattacks on US government bodies were baseless. The embassy stated on its Facebook page: “We have drawn attention to the recent, unfounded attempts by US media to accuse Russia of conducting cyberattacks on US government entities.” It added in the statement: “We declare that attacks in the information space contradict our country’s foreign policy principles and national interests, as well as the concept of building relationships between states.”
The Washington Post had blamed Russia after US media confirmed that US government institutions, including the Treasury Department, were subject to a successful cyberattack.
