There are several reports that the attack (successful, but not overtly malign) could be a Russian warning shot to the US.
It’s like saying if you keep on cripple our economy with sanctions, beware we can cripple your economy with cyber attacks (and Russians, with Chinese, are the best in the game).
Definitely the US, and even less Europe, cannot protect all electronic connection for banks, infrastructure etc. Usually they cannot even protect sensitive information.
An attack on Wall Street and the banks would be disastrous. So much so that the US Army is already studying a “day after (the attack) plan”.
Already in 2013 the resource-poor Syrian Electronic Army almost successfully attacked the ultra well defended water pumps facilities in Haifa, Israel.
In an all out war, you would be on the first line as water, electricity, traffic management systems (cars, plane and trains) will be hit. But that would be a third world war.
It is more likely am “economic sanction” scenario.
Also Islamic State showed some cyber warfare capability (limited) in hacking various Iraq web facilities – but nothing major.
So we go again….Russia is not Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria. Russia is Russia and you do not play with a Bear.
investorpolitico 