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According to the CEO of Stealthcare, a Cleveland-based cyber security firm, the next major cyber security attack will likely be tied to the GOP Convention, although he believes it won’t come from hacktivitsts upset with Donald Trump but rather from a state-sponsored group.

Jeremy Samide, CEO of Stealthcare, points to the recent attack on the Democratic National Committee that was apparently committed by a state-sponsored group.

“It makes sense for these hackers to hit the Republican National Committee right before or during its showcase event,” said Samide in a statement. “The ability of a hacktivist group to disrupt the Trump campaign is nothing compared to the havoc a state-sponsored cyber attack can wreak during the convention. However, I would not underestimate either group. They are both considered elite, extremely capable and dangerous.”

He has warned businesses to increase their security to prepare for potential attacks around the time of the GOP Convention on July 18-21. Samide notes that attacks typically increase as political and international tensions rise.

“Ohio Auditor David Yost has alerted local an state agencies to the heightened risk of cyber attacks,” Samide said in a statement. “The same holds true for businesses. The chance of a state-sponsored cyber attack may seem remote, but with the RNC taking center stage in July, every business and organization needs to fortify its defenses.”

[ Image courtesy of Erick Drost via Flickr ]