This year, Finland’s cybersecurity threat level has remained elevated. The level rose in 2022 when Russia launched its attack on Ukraine. According to Traficom’s National Cyber Security Centre, Finnish organizations are still the target of hostile cyber activity, but Traficom and the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) consider the likelihood of attacks that would broadly paralyze society to be low.
The number of serious data breaches and attempted breaches has increased. The number of serious cases investigated by the Cyber Security Centre has more than doubled compared to last year. In addition, reports of software vulnerabilities have risen significantly. Serious vulnerabilities are being exploited in attacks faster than before, which is a worrying trend.
Phishing and Scam Messages a Growing Problem
Phishing and scam messages have increased substantially. In the last quarter, the number of such messages reported to the Centre grew by 64 percent. Monthly variation affects the figures. Scam themes tend to shift with the seasons, while bank-related phishing messages have become firmly established.
Although Finland is well prepared for threats, vigilance is still required. Different sectors cooperate closely, sharing information daily. There have also been cases where a company has actively shared information about an attacker’s activities, enabling other companies to protect their operations. In this way, businesses and authorities can work together to prevent criminal activity.
Cybercrime is international, and technological development expands its possibilities. It is essential that our society continues to function and that people can trust our digital infrastructure in the future. This requires ensuring adequate resources for cybersecurity.
State-Sponsored Cyber Activity Against Finland Remains Active
According to Supo, cyber activity directed at Finland by China remains active. China also exploits Finnish network infrastructure and poorly secured consumer devices in its cyber operations against third countries.
The development of Russia’s cyber threat against Finland depends largely on how the war in Ukraine unfolds. Teemu Liikkanen, Head of Supo’s Counterintelligence Department, notes that once the war in Ukraine ends or subsides, Russia will be able to redirect cyber capabilities currently tied up in Ukraine against Finland.
Society Must Also Be Prepared Online
According to Director General Kärkkäinen, different sectors of society must continuously adapt to changes in the threat landscape. Information sharing, foresight, and effective cooperation are key.
We remind organizations to continue reporting all security incidents to us with a low threshold, whether they are phishing messages, denial-of-service attacks, or attempted data breaches. Sharing information helps us safeguard the operational reliability of critical infrastructure vital to national security.