The news of the attack on U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments, and other government agencies, is especially troubling given major events that have captivated the attention of all Americans including the historic effort to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to the United States’ most vulnerable citizens, the 2020 presidential election and the onboarding of new political players to the government’s highest ranking offices.  

The hackers, most likely Russian backed, appear motivated by geopolitical control as well as monetary gain. A player in possession of valuable information and intellectual property could potentially pose a series of threats to influence or control global healthcare, enterprise and government agencies.

As nation-state attacks grow increasingly sophisticated and emboldened — infiltrating private businesses to access government data — it’s clear COVID-19 and highly sensitive government information will remain at the forefront of cyberwarfare for the foreseeable future. To uphold the security of the vaccine distribution and administration processes, every enterprise, government and organization involved needs to be conscious of their digital interactions, as cyberattacks continue to seek out targets that harbor critical data.