State Government

Vermont officials highlight White House warning on Russian cyberattack

By Guy Page

The Russian government is considering cyberattacks against the United States, the White House warned March 21. The State of Vermont’s digital infrastructure leaders want the rest of state government and industry to take the threat seriously.

John Quinn

“I have previously warned about the potential that Russia could conduct malicious cyber activity against the United States, including as a response to the unprecedented economic costs we’ve imposed on Russia alongside our allies and partners,” President Joe Biden said in a letter posted on the White House website. “It’s part of Russia’s playbook. Today, my Administration is reiterating those warnings based on evolving intelligence that the Russian Government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks.”

Unlike conventional and nuclear military attacks, cyberattacks are often ‘deniable’ by governments, yet are potentially catastrophic to sectors of the U.S. government and industry and the people who rely on them.

Vermont Chief Information Officer and Secretary of Digital Services John Quinn said today it’s unlikely the State of Vermont will be targeted directly by Russian cyberattacks. More likely, Vermont could be “collateral damage” in attacks on national critical infrastructure, he said. 

Quinn has been briefing government and industry leaders about the potential dangers, and urging them to contact his office if problems arise. He’s concerned that private industry – banks, for example – would bring problems to their own private consultants first, before notifying him. 

In anticipation of a Russian cyberattack, it’s all hands on deck, the White House said. 

“The Federal Government can’t defend against this threat alone,” Biden warned. “Most of America’s critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector and critical infrastructure owners and operators must accelerate efforts to lock their digital doors. ….I urge our private sector partners to harden your cyber defenses immediately by implementing the best practices we have developed together over the last year.”

5 replies »

  1. Why has the USA not started cyber attacks on Russia or have we since this illegimate war started or has the USA been doing such attacks for years?

  2. I’m far more concerned about the evils posed by the vile US government then I am with the stale “Russia, Russia” false narratives they constantly propose. We Americans must come to acknowledge that our installed government has been our enemy for far longer than we care to admit.

  3. They always broadcast what they are doing before they do it. Enter the banking system collapse and energy bust.

  4. Gawd… these scripts are SO over used. So clearly manipulative and fear based social engineering to foment acceptance of lockdowns, loss of freedom of speech, and fascist gov’t control of our lives.

    I do not consent – just give’n the powers that be a heads up, eh?

    You can TRY to control me, but I know when I die, I don’t. I go on. In a much better place than this, where Truth and Light and Love prevail.
    We have had SO many chances to manifest this in our lifetimes – but we cowed to the whip of fear, the smell of war in the morning, and the slavery of humanity – funded by the human slaves.

    Yeah… so MY timeline doesn’t include this crapola that serves only one very small minority on the planet’s surface right now.
    All we have to do is create our own timeline and not engage with them.
    If we don’t play with them, they have no game to play.

  5. If by “Russia,” they mean our own government false flagging Americans into further support for an American created war that’s likely to go nuclear if escalated, then yes, I too think “Russia,” might cyber attack the US. C’mon, man, cui bono?

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