Banks in Russia Build “Smart” Cyber Defense Amid “Smart” Attacks
Thanks to efforts by Russian banks in cybersecurity, the number of the most dangerous incidents has fallen sharply.
Russian banks significantly strengthened their cyber defenses in 2025, reducing the share of the most severe incidents despite a rise in both the number and sophistication of attacks. This follows from industry studies and open data published by specialized monitoring centers.
Continuous Monitoring
The main shift has been the move from fragmented security tools to continuous infrastructure monitoring. Banks are actively developing security operations centers that analyze events across networks, applications, and user sessions in real time. Systems flag deviations from normal behavior and immediately alert specialists or trigger automated response scenarios.
Weak Passwords as a Source of Risk
Particular attention is being paid to employee and customer accounts. Compromised logins and passwords remain the primary source of risk. In response, banks are deploying multi-factor authentication, tighter controls on in-system actions, and behavioral analytics. This involves comparing a user’s current activity with their typical behavioral profile to identify anomalies, such as unusual login times, abrupt changes in location, or atypical transactions.
Automated Response
Automation is also delivering a tangible effect. When suspicious activity is detected, access can be temporarily restricted, sessions terminated, and data sent for review. This helps contain incidents before they escalate into major data leaks or service outages. Such measures can cause inconvenience for users who urgently need to complete certain actions, but banks are seeking a balance between usability and security.
Studies also point to growing process maturity.
Where incidents were once handled manually over weeks, banks are now aiming to cut response times to tens of minutes. This is achieved through standardized response playbooks, tighter integration of security systems, and staff training. As a result, cyber defense is increasingly becoming a managed and measurable process rather than an ad hoc reaction after the fact.
