Cybersecurity Risks During Global Unrest
In an increasingly digital world, international unrest no longer stops at physical borders. While news cycles focus on geopolitical tensions, military movements, or diplomatic fallout, there is another, quieter battleground unfolding in parallel: the cyber domain.
For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), this can be a blind spot. Many believe cyber warfare is something reserved for governments, militaries, or Fortune 500 firms. In reality, SMBs are increasingly on the front lines, targeted as entry points, supply chain pivots, or simply as vulnerable collateral. And when tensions rise globally, so too does malicious cyber activity — in both volume and impact.
How Unrest Breeds Cyber Opportunity
During periods of geopolitical instability, cyber threat actors ramp up operations for a simple reason: chaos creates opportunity. Government-backed adversaries, hacktivists with ideological motivations, and even opportunistic cybercriminals all exploit these moments to launch disruptive or destructive campaigns.
- Government-aligned actors may target organizations in rival countries or those supporting opposing positions, looking to steal information, degrade public trust, or inflict economic harm.
- Hacktivist collectives may carry out politically motivated attacks—defacing websites, leaking stolen data, or taking down infrastructure—regardless of the victim’s actual role in the conflict.
- Cybercriminals may ride the wave, increasing phishing campaigns and ransomware deployment during times of distraction or weakened defenses.
These attacks often don’t require sophisticated zero-day vulnerabilities or nation-grade resources. In most cases, they simply require an open port, an unpatched server, or a well-crafted email. That’s where SMBs often become the path of least resistance.
What These Threats Look Like in Practice
Here are some of the most common attack methods seen during global unrest:
▸ Spear-Phishing & Social Engineering
Sophisticated and highly personalized phishing emails are used to manipulate employees into clicking malicious links, downloading malware, or revealing credentials. These campaigns often mimic trusted brands or institutions, and during times of unrest, they may impersonate humanitarian organizations, vendors, or even government alerts.
▸ Exploiting Known Vulnerabilities
Attackers scan the internet constantly, looking for outdated software and misconfigured systems. Remote access tools (e.g., RDP, VPNs), legacy ERP systems, or even internet-connected printers can become gateways into your network if not patched and secured.
▸ Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS)
Overwhelming a company’s online presence with traffic is a common tactic, especially for politically motivated actors. It doesn’t just take you offline — it disrupts customer service, online sales, and internal communication, and can be used as a smokescreen for deeper intrusions.
▸ Destructive Malware
Unlike ransomware, which seeks to extort payment, wiper malware is designed to destroy data, erase drives, and cripple systems. These attacks are not about money; they’re about maximum disruption — often aligned with a political message or retaliatory objective.
▸ Website Defacement and Data Leaks
Company websites and social media pages are often defaced with propaganda or political messages. In some cases, stolen data — including emails, internal documents, or customer records — is published to humiliate or damage the organization.
Two Recent, Real-World Examples
🔹 IOControl Malware (Dec 2024–2025)
Cybersecurity researchers identified a new strain of malware targeting internet-connected devices — including routers, cameras, and industrial controllers — across North America and Europe. The malware enabled attackers to remotely control devices and move laterally within networks. What’s notable is how ordinary SMB environments were affected, particularly in light industrial, retail, and professional services sectors. These weren’t hardened targets; they were simply unprepared.
🔹 Targeted Attacks on Logistics Providers (2025)
Amid rising global tensions, threat actors launched coordinated attacks against transportation and logistics companies, including small and regional freight firms. Exploiting unsecured email infrastructure and third-party relationships, the attackers disrupted operations and stole sensitive tracking data. The victims weren’t chosen because of political affiliation, but because of their role in critical supply chains — and their lack of sophisticated defenses.
Why Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Are Vulnerable
It’s a myth that attackers “aren’t interested” in smaller organizations. In reality, SMBs are often seen as:
- Easier to breach – lacking dedicated security staff or mature IT operations.
- Part of larger targets – connected to vendors, contractors, or government clients.
- Less resilient – meaning a breach can cause outsized damage, including permanent closure.
Whether your business is in finance, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, or professional services, you may be in the line of fire simply due to who you serve, what software you use, or how visible you are online.
What You Can Do Now
✅ Patch Critical Systems
Update all software, firmware, and third-party plugins—especially for exposed systems like VPNs, firewalls, and cloud apps.
✅ Enhance Monitoring
Enable logging and alerting for unusual activity. Consider investing in endpoint detection and response (EDR) or outsourced 24/7 monitoring if your team is small.
✅ Get Cyber Insurance
Make sure your policy covers not just data breaches, but also business interruption, incident response, and legal expenses in the event of a state-sponsored or politically aligned cyber event.
✅ Train Your Team
Regularly simulate phishing emails and educate staff on how to report suspicious messages or login attempts. Human error is still the leading cause of compromise.
✅ Review and Test Incident Response
You don’t need a 100-page playbook. What matters is that your team knows what to do and who to call if systems are breached. Run a 1-hour tabletop exercise to stress-test your assumptions.
Act Now — Not After You’ve Been Hit
These attacks can happen at any time, from anywhere. The greatest mistake a business leader can make is assuming they are too small, too local, or too disconnected to be targeted. In cybersecurity, proximity is irrelevant. The internet connects everyone — and attackers know how to find you.
If you don’t have in-house security expertise, partner with a certified virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO). They can assess your current posture, identify critical risks, guide your staff, and develop a cost-effective roadmap to resilience.
The world may be uncertain — but your business doesn’t have to be unprepared.
🗓️ Need help setting up your defense?Book a 30-minute readiness consultation today.
We’ll help you uncover your biggest blind spots before someone else does.