Hackers seeking ways to infiltrate the military, experts warn

Attacks on governments and militaries are escalating, but cybersecurity is still underfunded compared to traditional military capabilities, experts say.

The financial impact of cybercrime has already reached unprecedented levels. However, beyond financial losses, cyberattacks are getting more sophisticated and causing trouble in the geopolitical arena.

Cybersecurity experts see a worrying trend of advanced persistent threat (APT) groups increasingly targeting government and military sectors worldwide, with attacks increasing by 58%.

APTs are long-term, targeted cyberattacks executed by highly skilled threat actors, often backed by a hostile state. They aim to infiltrate a specific network or system, sustain unauthorized access over time, and either gather sensitive information or disrupt operations.

The latest cybercrime report from security firm Group-IB reveals that the military and governmental sectors are the most impacted by APT attacks, accounting for a total of 15.5% of all APT attacks. The second most impacted sector is manufacturing (4.8%), followed by financial services (3.80%) and IT (3.50%). The CEO of Group-IB, Dmitry Volkov, thinks this is by no means a surprise, as rising global geopolitical tensions are the key driving force in such cybercrime trends.

“APT groups are weaponizing cyber operations to gain a strategic advantage. The government and military sectors hold a wealth of valuable data, including sensitive data relating to national security strategies, critical infrastructure schematics, as well as classified intelligence,” Volkov told Cybernews.

The sensitive nature of the data handled by this sector makes it an extremely valuable target for nation-state threat actors with malicious intent. State-sponsored hackers have escalated attacks in Europe and the Middle East due to ongoing regional conflicts.

Accessing the digital systems of military or other state authorities could benefit attackers seeking to carry out espionage, cyber warfare, and intelligence gathering to gain strategic advantages in geopolitical conflicts.

“The rise of hacktivism, often aligned with state-sponsored interests, has contributed to the increasing frequency of attacks on government institutions and critical national infrastructure as they seek to cause disruption and collect information,” explained Volkov.

Cyber warfare should be taken seriously

Given the rise in attacks targeting military infrastructure and the governmental sector, cybersecurity must be prioritized on a national level more than ever, as cyber warfare is no less real than traditional warfare.

According to Volkov, cybersecurity is already gaining recognition as a core aspect of national defense. However, compared to traditional military capabilities, it is still underfunded in many countries.

“The successful attack on a satellite network in Ukraine and increasing threats to undersea cable infrastructure highlight the urgent need for a stronger cybersecurity focus,” he explained.

He believes the rise of AI and the shift toward digital warfare make cyber resilience just as important as traditional defense strategies. To address this, governments must invest in defensive cyber capabilities, enhance international cooperation, and adopt threat intelligence-led cyber defense frameworks.

Progress is already being made, with NATO member countries agreeing to establish the NATO Integrated Cyber Defence Centre, and Indonesia and Canada instructing the formation of new cyber forces.