Ukraine and Russia seems to be at the moments on both traditional and cyber war. We could call that hybrid warfare. We are at a cyber war. Countless examples exist of damage to infrastructure from hostile acts via computer attacks. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a hybrid war from the start, a mix of conventional military strategy — traditional “boots on the ground” — and a slightly more unconventional, digital or cyberwar. On the morning of February 22, 2022, the world woke to the news that Russia had moved troops into two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. Russia started to conduct attacks to Ukraine on February 24. Before physical attacks Russia did several cyber attacks towards IT systems in Ukraine.
Here are links to some material on the cyber side of this war:
How the Eastern Europe Conflict Has Polarized Cyberspace
https://blog.checkpoint.com/2022/02/27/how-the-eastern-europe-conflict-polarized-cyberspace/
The war between Russia and Ukraine is advancing. People everywhere are deciding who they will support. The same dynamic happens in the cyberspace. Hacktivists, cybercriminals, white hat researchers or even technology companies are picking a clear side, emboldened to act on behalf of their choices. Historically, Russia has had superiority over Ukraine in the cyberspace. And last week, Ukraine was attacked by destructive wiping malware. However, the situation is starting to change, as most of the non-nation cyber state actors are taking the side of Ukraine. To defend itself, the Ukrainian government has created an international IT army of hacktivists.
As war escalates in Europe, it’s ‘shields up’ for the cybersecurity industry
https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/02/as-war-escalates-in-europe-its-shields-up-for-the-cybersecurity-industry/
In unprecedented times, even government bureaucracy moves quickly. As a result of the heightened likelihood of cyberthreat from Russian malactor groups, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) — part of the Department of Homeland Security — issued an unprecedented warning recommending that “all organizations — regardless of size — adopt a heightened posture when it comes to cybersecurity and protecting their most critical assets.”
Digital technology and the war in Ukraine
https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2022/02/28/ukraine-russia-digital-war-cyberattacks/
All of us who work at Microsoft are following closely the tragic, unlawful and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. This has become both a kinetic and digital war, with horrifying images from across Ukraine as well as less visible cyberattacks on computer networks and internet-based disinformation campaigns. We are fielding a growing number of inquiries about these aspects and our work, and therefore we are putting in one place a short summary about them in this blog. This includes four areas: protecting Ukraine from cyberattacks; protection from state-sponsored disinformation campaigns; support for humanitarian assistance; and the protection of our employees.. Also:
https://threatpost.com/microsoft-ukraine-foxblade-trojan-hours-before-russian-invasion/178702/
Ukraine: Cyberwar creates chaos, ‘it won’t win the war’
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-cyberwar-creates-chaos-it-wont-win-the-war/a-60999197
There have been at least 150 cyberattacks in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. Their effect is mainly psychological, and experts say they won’t decide the war.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a hybrid war from the start, a mix of conventional military strategy — traditional “boots on the ground” — and a slightly more unconventional, digital or cyberwar.
The global technology company Microsoft has said its Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) detected “destructive cyberattacks directed against Ukraine’s digital infrastructure” hours before the first launch of missiles or movement of tanks on February 24.
Those attacks, which Microsoft dubbed FoxBlade, included so-called wipers — malicious software or malware — that make their way inside computer networks and literally wipe the data from all connected devices.
Cybersecurity experts in Germany have said there have been over a hundred cyberattacks, in various forms, since then. But their effect has mainly been psychological.
Why Russia Hasn’t Launched Major Cyber Attacks Since the Invasion of Ukraine
https://time.com/6153902/russia-major-cyber-attacks-invasion-ukraine/
In the relatively short and rapidly evolving history of cyber conflict, perhaps nothing has been established with greater certainty and more widely accepted than the idea that Russia has significant cyber capabilities and isn’t afraid to use them—especially on Ukraine. In 2015, Russian government hackers breached the Ukrainian power grid, leading to widespread outages. In 2017, Russia deployed the notorious NotPetya malware via Ukrainian accounting software and the virus quickly spread across the globe costing businesses billions of dollars in damage and disruption.
As tensions escalated between Russia and Ukraine, many people were expecting the conflict to have significant cyber components.
But as the invasion continues with few signs of any sophisticated cyber conflict, it seems less and less likely that Russia has significant cyber capabilities in reserve, ready to deploy if needed. Instead, it begins to look like Russia’s much vaunted cyber capabilities have been neglected in recent years, in favor of developing less expensive, less effective cyber weapons that cause less widespread damage and are considerably easier to contain and defend against. For instance, many of the cyberattacks directed at Ukraine in the past month have been relatively basic distributed denial-of-service attacks.
Given Russia’s past willingness to deploy cyberattacks with far-reaching, devastating consequences, it would be a mistake to count out their cyber capabilities just because they have so far proven unimpressive. And it’s all but impossible to prove the absence of cyber weapons in a nation’s arsenal. But the longer the conflict goes on without any signs of sophisticated cyber sabotage, the more plausible it becomes that the once formidable Russian hackers are no longer playing a central role in the country’s military operations.
Crowd-sourced attacks present new risk of crisis escalation
https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/03/ukraine-update.html
An unpredictable and largely unknown set of actors present a threat to organizations, despite their sometimes unsophisticated techniques.
Customers who are typically focused on top-tier, state-sponsored attacks should remain aware of these highly motivated threat actors, as well. Misattribution of these actors carries the risk of nations escalating an already dangerous conflict in Ukraine. Based on data from our fellow researchers at Cisco Kenna, customers should be most concerned about threat actors exploiting several recently disclosed vulnerabilities, highlighting the importance of consistently updating software and related systems.
Russia, Ukraine and the Danger of a Global Cyberwar
https://www.securityweek.com/russia-ukraine-and-danger-global-cyberwar
On the morning of February 22, 2022, the world woke to the news that Russia had moved troops into two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. At the time of writing, it is not yet a full invasion of Ukraine, but Russia did conduct attacks on February 24, hitting cities with airstrikes and artillery in what was called a “special military operation” by Russian President Vladamir Putin.
Russia has been waging its own cyberwar against Ukraine for many years.
Since the beginning of 2022, however, it seems that Russian cyber activity against Ukraine has increased. This includes evidence that wiper malware has again disrupted some Ukrainian government networks, and attacks from the FSB-linked Gamaredon have targeted around 5,000 entities, including critical infrastructure and government departments. So far, however, there has not been the same scale of disruption as occurred in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The purpose of such cyber activity is to weaken critical infrastructure, damage government’s ability to respond to any aggression, and to demoralize the population.
The U.S. has been warning the rest of the world against a potential widening scope of Russian cyber activity, and that cyber defenses generally should be tightened.
“Part of the worry,” said Willett, “is that cyberattacks against Ukraine might bleed over, like NotPetya, to affect other countries and cause wider damage unintentionally. There is some concern that the Russians may intentionally do stuff more widely, but that would probably be in retaliation for something that the U.S. or NATO might do.
This raises the whole question of ‘attribution’. The received belief is it is impossible to do accurate cyber attribution. ““It would be a mistake for any one nation to think it could attack another without being known,” said Willett.That is absolutely wrong,” said Willett.
But accidents happen. The two iconic cyberweapons have been Stuxnet and NotPetya. It is assumed that the U.S. developed Stuxnet (although this has never been admitted). NotPetya has been confidently attributed to the Russian government. Both malwares escaped from their assumed targets into the wider world. This was probably accidental – but similar accidents could lead to wider implications during a period of global geopolitical tension.
On the morning of February 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. This was accompanied by a further increase in cyber activity.
Ukraine Digital Army Brews Cyberattacks, Intel and Infowar
https://www.securityweek.com/ukraine-digital-army-brews-cyberattacks-intel-and-infowar
Formed in a fury to counter Russia’s blitzkrieg attack, Ukraine’s hundreds-strong volunteer “hacker” corps is much more than a paramilitary cyberattack force in Europe’s first major war of the internet age. It is crucial to information combat and to crowdsourcing intelligence.
Inventions of the volunteer hackers range from software tools that let smartphone and computer owners anywhere participate in distributed denial-of-service attacks on official Russian websites to bots on the Telegram messaging platform that block disinformation, let people report Russian troop locations and offer instructions on assembling Molotov cocktails and basic first aid.
The movement is global, drawing on IT professionals in the Ukrainian diaspora whose handiwork includes web defacements with antiwar messaging and graphic images of death and destruction in the hopes of mobilizing Russians against the invasion.
The cyber volunteers’ effectiveness is difficult to gauge. Russian government websites have been repeatedly knocked offline, if briefly, by the DDoS attacks, but generally weather them with countermeasures.
It’s impossible to say how much of the disruption — including more damaging hacks — is caused by freelancers working independently of but in solidarity with Ukrainian hackers.
A tool called “Liberator” lets anyone in the world with a digital device become part of a DDoS attack network, or botnet. The tool’s programmers code in new targets as priorities change.
Ukraine Cyber Official: We Only Attack Military Targets
https://www.securityweek.com/ukraine-cyber-official-we-only-attack-military-targets
A top Ukrainian cybersecurity official said Friday a volunteer army of hundreds of hackers enlisted to fight Russia in cyberspace is attacking only what it deems military targets, prioritizing government services including the financial sector, Kremlin-controlled media and railways.
Victor Zhora, deputy chair of the state special communications service, also said that there had been about 10 hostile hijackings of local government websites in Ukraine to spread false text propaganda saying his government had capitulated. He said most of Ukraine’s telecommunications and internet were fully operational.
Zhora told reporters in a teleconference that presumed Russian hackers continued to try to spread destructive malware in targeted email attacks on Ukrainian officials and — in what he considers a new tactic — trying to infect the devices of individual citizens.
Army of Cyber Hackers Rise Up to Back Ukraine
https://www.securityweek.com/army-cyber-hackers-rise-back-ukraine
An army of volunteer hackers is rising up in cyberspace to defend Ukraine, though internet specialists are calling on geeks and other “hacktivists” to stay out of a potentially very dangerous computer war.
According to Livia Tibirna, an analyst at cyber security firm Sekoia, nearly 260,000 people have joined the “IT Army” of volunteer hackers, which was set up at the initiative of Ukraine’s digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
The group, which can be accessed via the encrypted messaging service Telegram, has a list of potential targets in Russia, companies and institutions, for the hackers to target.
It’s difficult to judge the effect the cyber-army is having.
Russia Releases List of IPs, Domains Attacking Its Infrastructure with DDoS Attacks
https://thehackernews.com/2022/03/russia-releases-list-of-ips-domains.html
Russia Blocks Access to Facebook Over War
https://www.securityweek.com/russia-blocks-access-facebook-over-war
Russia’s state communications watchdog has ordered to completely block access to Facebook in Russia amid the tensions over the war in Ukraine.
The agency, Roskomnadzor, said Friday it decided to cut access to Facebook over its alleged “discrimination” of the Russian media and state information resources. It said the restrictions introduced by Facebook owner Meta on the RT and other state-controlled media violate the Russian law.
Cyberattack Knocks Thousands Offline in Europe
https://www.securityweek.com/cyberattack-knocks-thousands-offline-europe
Thousands of internet users across Europe have been thrown offline after what sources said Friday was a likely cyberattack at the beginning of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
According to Orange, “nearly 9,000 subscribers” of a satellite internet service provided by its subsidiary Nordnet in France are without internet following a “cyber event” on February 24 at Viasat, a US satellite operator of which it is a client.
Eutelsat, the parent company of the bigblu satellite internet service, also confirmed to AFP on Friday that around one-third of bigblu’s 40,000 subscribers in Europe, in Germany, France, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Poland, were affected by the outage on Viasat.
In the US, Viasat said on Wednesday that a “cyber event” had caused a “partial network outage” for customers “in Ukraine and elsewhere” in Europe who rely on its KA-SAT satellite.
Viasat gave no further details, saying only that “police and state partners” had been notified and were “assisting” with investigations.
General Michel Friedling, head of France’s Space Command said there had been a cyberattack.
Cybercriminals Seek to Profit From Russia-Ukraine Conflict
https://www.securityweek.com/cybercriminals-seek-profit-russia-ukraine-conflict
Dark web threat actors are looking to take advantage of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, offering network access and databases that could be relevant to those involved in the conflict, according to a new report from Accenture.
Since mid-January, cybercriminals have started to advertise compromised assets relevant to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and they are expected to increase their offering of databases and network access, with potentially crippling effects for the targeted organizations.
Just over a month ago, soon after the destructive WhisperGate attacks on multiple government, IT, and non-profit organizations in Ukraine, threat actors started to advertise on the dark web access to both breached networks and databases that allegedly contained personally identifiable information (PII).
Amid Russian invasion, Ukraine granted formal role with NATO cyber hub https://therecord.media/amid-russian-invasion-ukraine-granted-formal-role-with-nato-cyber-hub/
Ukraine was granted the formal role of “contributing participant” to the hub, known as the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), by its 27-member steering committee, the organization announced. “Ukraine’s presence in the Centre will enhance the exchange of cyber expertise, between Ukraine and CCDCOE member nations, ” Col.
Jaak Tarien, the institution’s director, said in a statement.
This Ukrainian cyber firm is offering hackers bounties for taking down Russian sites https://therecord.media/this-ukrainian-cyber-firm-is-offering-hackers-bounties-for-taking-down-russian-sites/
In the days following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, dozens of hacking groups have taken sides in the conflict, launching attacks on various organizations and government institutions. Cyber Unit Technologies, a Kyiv-based cybersecurity startup, has been particularly outspoken on Tuesday, the company started a campaign to reward hackers for taking down Russian websites and pledged an initial $100, 000 to the program.
High Above Ukraine, Satellites Get Embroiled in the War
https://www.wired.com/story/ukraine-russia-satellites/
While the Russian invasion rages on the ground, companies that operate data-collecting satellites find themselves in an awkward position.
Some researchers are worried that the reliance on satellite imagery has given too much power to the companies that control this technology. “There’s companies like Maxar and Planet that are privately owned and they have the final say on whether or not they want to share the information, ” says Anuradha Damale. The role of private companies in conflicts such as Ukraine means commercial satellites could become targets. In the days before Russia invaded, US space officials warned satellite companies that the conflict could extend into space.
CISA Releases Advisory on Destructive Malware Targeting Organizations in Ukraine https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/current-activity/2022/02/26/cisa-releases-advisory-destructive-malware-targeting-organizations
CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have released an advisory on destructive malware targeting organizations in Ukraine. The advisory also provides recommendations and strategies to prepare for and respond to destructive malware. Additionally, CISA has created a new Shields Up Technical Guidance webpage that details other malicious cyber activity affecting Ukraine. The webpage includes technical resources from partners to assist organizations against these threats.
Alert: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-057a
US firms should be wary of destructive malware unleashed on Ukraine, FBI and CISA warn – CNNPolitics
https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/26/politics/ukraine-malware-warning-cybersecurity-fbi-cisa/index.html
EU Activates Cyber Rapid Response Team Amid Ukraine Crisis
https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/eu-activates-cyber-rapid-response-team-amid-ukraine-crisis-a-18584
Amid rapid escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict derived from historical grievances and qualms with Ukraine’s plan to join the military alliance NATO, the world’s network defenders remain on high alert. And on Tuesday, the European Union confirmed that it will activate its elite cybersecurity team to assist Ukrainians if Russian cyberattacks occur.
UK alludes to retaliatory cyber-attacks on Russia
https://therecord.media/uk-alludes-to-retaliatory-cyber-attacks-on-russia/
The UK government alluded yesterday that it might launch offensive cyber operations against Russia if the Kremlin attacks UK computer systems after an invasion of Ukraine.
Amazon: Charities, aid orgs in Ukraine attacked with malware
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/amazon-charities-aid-orgs-in-ukraine-attacked-with-malware/
Charities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) providing critical support in Ukraine are targeted in malware attacks aiming to disrupt their operations and relief efforts seeking to assist those affected by Russia’s war. Amazon has detected these attacks while working with the employees of NGOs, charities, and aid organizations, including UNICEF, UNHCR, World Food Program, Red Cross, Polska Akcja Humanitarna, and Save the Children.
Ransomware Used as Decoy in Destructive Cyberattacks on Ukraine
https://www.securityweek.com/ransomware-used-decoy-destructive-cyberattacks-ukraine
Destructive ‘HermeticWiper’ Malware Targets Computers in Ukraine
https://www.securityweek.com/destructive-hermeticwiper-malware-targets-computers-ukraine
Just as Russia was preparing to launch an invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian government websites were disrupted by DDoS attacks and cybersecurity firms reported seeing what appeared to be a new piece of malware on hundreds of devices in the country.
The new malware, dubbed “HermeticWiper” by the cybersecurity community, is designed to erase infected Windows devices. The name references a digital certificate used to sign a malware sample — the certificate was issued to a Cyprus-based company called Hermetica Digital.
“At this time, we haven’t seen any legitimate files signed with this certificate. It’s possible that the attackers used a shell company or appropriated a defunct company to issue this digital certificate,” explained endpoint security firm SentinelOne, whose researchers have been analyzing the new malware.
The malware has also been analyzed by researchers at ESET and Symantec. Each of the companies has shared indicators of compromise (IoCs) associated with HermeticWiper.
ESET first spotted HermeticWiper on Wednesday afternoon (Ukraine time) and the company said hundreds of computers in Ukraine had been compromised.
HermeticWiper | New Destructive Malware Used In Cyber Attacks on Ukraine https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/hermetic-wiper-ukraine-under-attack/
On February 23rd, the threat intelligence community began observing a new wiper malware sample circulating in Ukrainian organizations. Our analysis shows a signed driver is being used to deploy a wiper that targets Windows devices, manipulating the MBR resulting in subsequent boot failure. This blog includes the technical details of the wiper, dubbed HermeticWiper, and includes IOCs to allow organizations to stay protected from this attack. This sample is actively being used against Ukrainian organizations, and this blog will be updated as more information becomes available. Also:
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2022/02/24/hermeticwiper-new-data-wiping-malware-hits-ukraine/
https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/ukraine-wiper-malware-russia
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-data-wiping-malware-used-in-destructive-attacks-on-ukraine/
HermeticWiper: A detailed analysis of the destructive malware that targeted Ukraine https://blog.malwarebytes.com/threat-intelligence/2022/03/hermeticwiper-a-detailed-analysis-of-the-destructive-malware-that-targeted-ukraine/
The day before the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces on February 24, a new data wiper was unleashed against a number of Ukrainian entities. This malware was given the name “HermeticWiper” based on a stolen digital certificate from a company called Hermetica Digital Ltd. This wiper is remarkable for its ability to bypass Windows security features and gain write access to many low-level data-structures on the disk. In addition, the attackers wanted to fragment files on disk and overwrite them to make recovery almost impossible.
In Ukraine, Online Gig Workers Keep Coding Through the War
https://www.wired.com/story/gig-work-in-ukraine/
Freelancers or gig workers who piece together work on online platforms are a hidden engine of the Ukrainian economyand the world’s. They work as software engineers, project managers, IT technicians, graphic designers, editors, and copywriters. And they work for everyone.
Invading Russian forces have plunged freelancers’ home offices into chaos and uncertainty. Vlad, a video editor in southern Ukraine, says he’s grown accustomed to the air alarm signal, and hiding until it has passed. Now there are battles 30 miles from his home. “But as long as there is water, electricity, and internet, I can work, ” he says.
“Because we all need to live for something, eat
Leaving Russia? Experts Say Wipe Your Phone Before You Go
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2022/03/04/russians-escaping-putins-repression-urged-to-wipe-their-phones/
Russians fleeing President Vladimir Putin’s regime as it cracks down on anti-war sentimentand rumors of martial law grow louderare being advised to wipe their phones, especially of any traces of support for Ukraine. If they don’t, experts say they may face detention. They’re starting by deleting messages on Signal, Telegram or any app that promises security. For those leaving the country, they’re deleting the apps themselves, and urging others to do the same. Russian media has first-hand accounts of lengthy interrogations at the border, along with phone and laptop searches, though Forbes could not corroborate those claims.
Why ICANN Won’t Revoke Russian Internet Domains
The organization says cutting the country off would have “devastating” effects on the global internet system.
https://www.wired.com/story/why-icann-wont-revoke-russian-internet-domains/#intcid=_wired-bottom-recirc_8e802014-a05f-48c5-89e8-9dad931361ad_text2vec1-reranked-by-vidi
Ukraine on Monday asked ICANN to revoke Russian top-level domains such as .ru, .рф, and .su; to “contribute to the revoking for SSL certificates” of those domains; and to shut down DNS root servers in Russia. Fedorov argued that the requested “measures will help users seek for reliable information in alternative domain zones, preventing propaganda and disinformation.”
Ukraine’s request to cut Russia off from core parts of the internet has been rejected by the nonprofit group that oversees the Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS). CEO Göran Marby of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said the group must “maintain neutrality and act in support of the global internet.”
“Our mission does not extend to taking punitive actions, issuing sanctions, or restricting access against segments of the internet—regardless of the provocations,” Marby wrote in his response to Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/marby-to-fedorov-02mar22-en.pdf
TikTok Was Designed for War
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine plays out online, the platform’s design and algorithm prove ideal for the messiness of war—but a nightmare for the truth.
https://www.wired.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-tiktok/#intcid=_wired-bottom-recirc_8e802014-a05f-48c5-89e8-9dad931361ad_text2vec1-reranked-by-vidi
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Tomi Engdahl says:
How Russia Sent Ukraine Racing Into the “Energy Eurozone” Europe’s electric grid has a new member—could the Baltics be far behind?
https://spectrum.ieee.org/ukraine-europe-electricity-grid
Just a few hours before massed Russian troops and missiles surged over borders with deadly force last month, Ukraine’s grid operator opened a series of high-voltage breakers, disconnecting the nation’s grid from those of Belarus, Russia and the rest of the giant UPS/IPS synchronous AC power zone controlled from Moscow. It was supposed to be a 72-hour test, and going ahead under the tense circumstances was a bold and risky gambit, admits Ukrenergo CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi .
“We heard a lot of opinions in the expert community, as well as among politicians that it is very dangerous to disconnect from Russia and Belarus, that the Ukrainian energy system will not be able to function independently for a long time,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Viranomaiselta yllättävä tieto: Näin Ukrainan verkkosota näkyy Suomessa https://www.is.fi/digitoday/tietoturva/art-2000008691534.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russia’s war hits Yandex, the ‘Google of Russia’
Sources say the company is seeking a media exit as top exec hit with sanctions over propaganda charge
https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/16/russia-yandex-news-vk/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Using a New Cyber Tool, Westerners Have Been Texting Russians About the War in Ukraine
Website developed by hackers is new initiative in West’s battle to counter Russia’s propaganda campaign
https://www.wsj.com/articles/using-a-new-cyber-tool-westerners-have-been-texting-russians-about-the-war-in-ukraine-11647100803?mod=rss_Technology
People around the world are using a new website to circumvent the Kremlin’s propaganda machine by sending individual messages about the war in Ukraine to random people in Russia.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Europe warns of aircraft GPS outages tied to Russian invasion
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/europe-warns-of-aircraft-gps-outages-tied-to-russian-invasion/
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), EU’s air transport safety and environmental protection regulator, warned today of intermittent outages affecting Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
These GNSS outages can lead to navigation and surveillance degradation due to jamming and/or possible spoofing issues that have intensified around Ukraine.
EASA says that, based on reports from Eurocontrol and open-source data reports, the number of satnav spoofing and/or jamming incidents has expanded around the Kaliningrad region, Eastern Finland, the Black Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean area since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
“The effects of GNSS jamming and/or possible spoofing were observed by aircraft in various phases of their flights, in certain cases leading to re-routing or even to change the destination due to the inability to perform a safe landing procedure,” EASA warned.
GPS interference alert issued by Finland
The European agency’s warning follows a public announcement issued by Finland’s Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, notifying of a spike of GPS interference issues around the country’s eastern border with Russia.
Notably, several Transaviabaltika planes flying to Savonlinna, Finland, had to return to Tallinn, Estonia, on Sunday, because of a failure affecting the onboard GPS navigation system.
While the Finnish agency’s announcement explained that the source of the interference was challenging to determine, there have been previous reports of ships encountering satnav problems in the Black Sea in 2017 linked to Russia.
Norwegian authorities also accused Russia of widespread disruption of GPS navigation during military drills In December 2017. NATO faced similar problems during military exercises in Finland in November 2018.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/129108/hacking/russian-ministry-hack.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
The International Energy Agency called on wealthy nations to cut speed limits on highways, fly less, drive less and work from home more to reduce oil demand and stave off the “risk of a crippling oil crunch” in the wake of supply issues following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has potentially triggered one of the biggest oil supply shocks in decades, the IEA warned. The organization proposed a “10-Point Plan to Cut Oil Use” to help mitigate the crisis. https://trib.al/atfoq85
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wargames take out Russian websites
https://cybernews.com/cyber-war/wargames-take-out-russian-websites/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cybernews&utm_content=post
The Ministry of Digital Transformation in Ukraine urges its allies to play an online game designed to block Russian websites.
Lviv IT specialists have designed a game playforukraine.life to ‘defeat the enemy without even leaving the shelter.’
This browser game is an analog of the popular 2048 game. By simply matching the numbers, each player sends about 20,000 requests to block sites that serve the Russian army in one hour of play.
More than 180,000 players from different countries have already played the game and carried out 288 billion attacks, targeting more than 200 Russian sites.
Cyberwar intensifies
Recently, Anonymous, hostSec, SHDWSec, and Squad303 hacker collectives published an open letter addressed to Vladimir Putin and the government of Russia.
“We see through the propaganda that you circulate through the Russian media and lobby through the political establishment. We will NOT allow you to maintain these attacks on a sovereign country based upon a campaign of lies. Your games of deception will now be met by the wrath of elite cyber squadrons from around the world,” hackers said.
In light of the attack, the hacker community started rallying to help Ukrainians. With Anonymous being the most prominent one, numerous hacker groups and researchers partake in various campaigns to help Ukraine.
Cyber activists targeted Russian state-controlled media outlets TASS, Kommersant, Izvestia, Fontanka, and RBC, pushing them offline.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Koodaaja otti kantaa sotaan – koodipaketin rauhaa ylistävä viesti kylvääkin tuhoa venäläisille koneille
18.3.202212:57
Suositun koodipaketin kehittäjä sabotoi itse oman tuotteensa.
https://www.mikrobitti.fi/uutiset/koodaaja-otti-kantaa-sotaan-koodipaketin-rauhaa-ylistava-viesti-kylvaakin-tuhoa-venalaisille-koneille/3d9fb102-ee35-4d29-a753-50a302b963b8?ref=facebook%3A3bfb
Node-ipc on erittäin suosittu javascript-koodipaketti, joka luo moduulin prosessien väliseen toimintaan. Node-ipc-pakettia käytetään laajalti ympäri maailmaa – esimerkiksi Vue.js CLI -kirjasto käyttää sitä – ja sillä on yli miljoona viikottaista latausta.
Bleeping Computer kertoo, että Node-ipc:n kehittäjä Brandon ”RIAEvangelist” Miller halusi ottaa kantaa Ukrainan sotaan. Hän julkaisi koodipaketistaan kaksi uutta versiota niin Npm-koodikirjastossa kuin GitHubissakin.
Suurelle osalle käyttäjistä pakettien asentaminen vain tuo ruudulle rauhaa toivottavan viestin.
Jos käyttäjä kuitenkin sattuu ip-osoitteensa perusteella olemaan Venäjällä tai Valko-Venäjällä, rauhanviestin lisäksi koodipaketti sisältää katastrofaalisen tehokkaan pommin: se pyyhkii tietokoneen kaiken sisällön.
BIG sabotage: Famous npm package deletes files to protest Ukraine war
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/big-sabotage-famous-npm-package-deletes-files-to-protest-ukraine-war/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Guide To The Private Jets And Helicopters Owned By Sanctioned Russian Billionaires https://trib.al/9KKOG2c
Tomi Engdahl says:
This could be the first major marine insurance claim from the conflict in Ukraine.
Bangladesh Seeks $22.4 Million Insurance Claim from Missile Strike on Ship in Ukraine
https://gcaptain.com/bangladesh-compensation-missile-strike-ukraine/
DHAKA/LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) – State-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corp is seeking $22.4 million from its insurer for a cargo ship hit by a missile in March, government officials with knowledge of the talks said, in the first major marine insurance claim from the conflict in Ukraine.
The UN’s shipping agency said last week it would create a safe maritime corridor for merchant ships and crews stuck in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, although shipping industry sources expect progress to be slow. Projectiles have hit four other vessels in recent days with one sunk.
Insurance premiums have soared by over 100% for voyages to the region since the war started. Insurers are watching closely for more claims that will ultimately increase costs further.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russia’s biggest cargo airline Volga-Dnepr Group has suspended all flights using Boeing aircraft due to Western sanctions, it said on Friday.
Russia’s biggest cargo airline to suspend all Boeing flights
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Fbusiness%2Faerospace-defense%2Frussias-biggest-cargo-airline-suspend-all-boeing-flights-2022-03-18%2F%3Futm_campaign%3DtrueAnthem%253A%2BTrending%2BContent%26utm_medium%3DtrueAnthem%26utm_source%3Dfacebook&h=AT1s_HaA6XkNSRvWPPyUKzWGgorINdrcxjwjHAFond5RfSXb3yFf67jx2XIzqqUsmPOeKbo4-SPccGGaG1r1bPqVqkNiXKR_6sLlNcva0WTqkL30N4-vtESmbVH0waW05g
Russia’s biggest cargo airline Volga-Dnepr Group has suspended all flights using Boeing (BA.N) aircraft due to Western sanctions, it said on Friday.
Sanctions have cut off the supply of most aircraft and parts to Russia. The United States and Europe have closed their airspace to Russian airlines, and Moscow has responded by imposing the same measure on them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The website loser.com is redirecting to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Wikipedia page, making him the latest name to be roasted by the owner of the website https://trib.al/iVM0fzm
Tomi Engdahl says:
Somessa leviää videoita traktoreista hinaamassa pois Venäjän panssareita: ”Ruokkii vastarintahenkeä” https://www.is.fi/ulkomaat/art-2000008684721.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iltalehti.fi/digiuutiset/a/56a08fbf-eeee-4787-a642-ca60caf7a37b#Echobox=1647626814
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://pixelforest.itch.io/farmers-stealing-tanks
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russias-biggest-cargo-airline-suspend-all-boeing-flights-2022-03-18/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Washington Post:
Mykhailo Fedorov says the quality of Starlink is excellent, as Ukrainians use the terminals to stay online; source says there are 5K+ terminals in the country — Elon Musk recently challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to a one-handed fistfight for the future of Ukraine.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/19/elon-musk-ukraine-starlink/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tech talent flees Russia as Western sanctions bite
https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/20/tech-talent-flees-russia-as-western-sanctions-bite/?tpcc=tcplusfacebook
Russia’s current talent outflow might well be the last wave of its chronic brain drain stretching back decades.
Russia is seeing an exodus of entrepreneurs, computer programmers, as well as other educated middle-class citizens as Western sanctions and political instability make it impossible to run an international business in the country.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced millions to flee their homes fearing for their lives. But the war is also leading to Russians moving from their home country.
The tipping point for Konash came when investors told him in no uncertain terms that his startup would be uninvestable if it continued to have such a heavy presence in Russia. His Russia-based team agreed it was time to leave.
“The guys that even a month ago said they wouldn’t leave Russia under any circumstances were talking about grabbing their things and literally driving to Kazakhstan to cross the land border because the tickets to get out were either sold out or were super expensive,” said Konash.
Financial sanctions aside, it became impractical to operate an information technology company from Russia as foreign tech services are either banned or begin to retreat.
Google and Microsoft have suspended all sales in the country, while Russia has attempted to block Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, albeit with mixed results. Some users could still access these American platforms following the bans, suggesting that Russia may be some way away from having a robust censorship machine like that of China. Facebook and Twitter said they were working to restore services in Russia.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Putinin sisäpiirissä — Kuinka KGB valtasi Venäjän ja kääntyi länttä vastaan
https://docendo.fi/sivu/tuote/putinin-sisapiirissa/3816797
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russian mercenaries in Ukraine linked to far-right extremists
Wagner Group connected to white supremacists, Tech against Terrorism investigation finds
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/russian-mercenaries-in-ukraine-linked-to-far-right-extremists?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Russian mercenaries fighting in Ukraine, including the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group, have been linked to far-right extremism including an organisation designated by the US as terrorist, analysis reveals.
Although Vladimir Putin says his “special military operation” is aimed at the “denazification” of Ukraine, an investigation has found links between pro-Russian forces and violent rightwing extremism, including those directly affiliated with Wagner.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hakkerit iskivät VKontakteen eli ”Venäjän Facebookiin” – levittivät karua viestiä https://www.is.fi/digitoday/tietoturva/art-2000008696145.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Anonymous leaked data stolen from Russian pipeline company Transneft
March 20, 2022 By Pierluigi Paganini
https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/129276/data-breach/anonymous-transneft-data-leak.html
Anonymous hacked Omega Company, the in-house R&D unit of Transneft, the Russian oil pipeline giant, and leaked stolen data.
Anonymous collective claims it has hacked Omega Company, which is the in-house R&D unit of Transneft, the Russia-based state-controlled oil pipeline company.
Transneft is the largest oil pipeline company in the world, the hacktivists have stolen 79GB of emails and published them on the leak site of the non-profit whistleblower organization Distributed Denial of Secrets.
While the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues and innocent people are dying, the Anonymous collective is targeting Russian government institutions and private firms.
The data leaked as part of Transneft’s Omega Company hack contain the email accounts data of company employees. The stolen data includes invoices, equipment technical configurations, and product shipment information.
The Omega Company produces high-tech acoustic and temperature monitoring systems for oil pipelines.
The Verge reviewed some emails and some of them were dated as of March 15th, just days before the data was leaked online.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/129157/hacktivism/anonymous-vs-russia-2.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.dw.com/en/swiss-commodities-traders-help-fill-putins-war-coffers/a-61179410
Tomi Engdahl says:
Currently 89 pages in length and updated in real time, the Doc, “Resources for People Fleeing Ukraine,” includes updates on border crossings and transportation, as well links for housing, employment, medical and trauma support, legal help both globally and in 5 countries bordering the country
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rashishrivastava/2022/03/15/how-one-google-doc-is-helping-thousands-of-ukrainian-refugees-navigate-borders/?sh=1024a379d18e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainFB
Tomi Engdahl says:
How social media might bring war criminals to justice in Ukraine: https://trib.al/dD9Kg3k
Tomi Engdahl says:
Censorship, arrests, shutdowns: Putin crushes Russian media
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fprogram%2Fthe-listening-post%2F2022%2F3%2F12%2Fcensorship-arrests-shut-downs-putin-crushes-russian-media&h=AT1X6V8kwU42YJnYf1SwuwOC6Xg4YCVP33dDD1n696knGWoHGJJi-nNG8fmZv_XMws4OHtaM8mhDah0qyuhYAzQ_knOIqM9ji93S-H3sZkiBRzTNSHdY3B294PB-TzntlQ
Tomi Engdahl says:
Venäjän valtionlainoilla alkoi rajoitettu kaupankäynti Moskovan pörssissä – 10-vuotisen lainan korko hyppäsi
Moskovan pörssi on pidetty suljettuna siitä lähtien, kun Venäjä hyökkäsi Ukrainaan kolmisen viikkoa sitten. Tarkoituksena on ollut hillitä pääomapakoa ja estää markkinan romahtaminen.
https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-12368171?origin=rss
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/space/russia-denies-cosmonauts-striking-yellow-and-blue-suits-were-in-support-of-ukraine/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fstreiff%2F2022%2F03%2F19%2Fbelarus-rail-lines-carrying-trains-with-supplies-for-the-russian-army-are-being-hit-by-sabotage-attacks-n538248&h=AT04cfOG1RlYCMembVNsqkHqSmgGTx_4fu7Va2kNc3OmK3dVahvyCkMrj9mxW-xpATSeHrElzoP9Q-f7uuDTW5RLJFha5E_cSmnUWlBhAnZPceB2Op4I93KsCc5DhGH2Qw
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here’s how to improve your portfolio strategy amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict: https://trib.al/VWTogmV
Tomi Engdahl says:
5 CYBERATTACKS THAT HAPPEN IN UKRAINE IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS.
CHECK OUT THIS INSIGHTFUL ARTICLE ABOUT THE CYBERATTACKS WHICH HAPPEN IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS!!
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-cyber-attacks-ukraine-last-3-weeks-catalisto
#cyberattack #cybercrime #ukrainerussiawar #ukrainerussiaconflict
Tomi Engdahl says:
“More than 400,000 Russians a day are downloading a top 5 VPN app,” Apptopia VP Adam Blacker said on Twitter. “Apple and Google should not shut these people off from the outside world. They need information.”
Russia Forcing Google To Delist VPN Websites, But 400,000+ Russians Are Downloading VPNs Daily
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftrib.al%2FiP7n5MN&h=AT0exhSO8uOCTo-A-gxEgrQdcGxXdaOmNDS4Vz1_zWKVHPS_SB5fZZycYkzE46ixIdWrwW42VHKUZtJ8dL6-SFPxvgAnNfr6h-Fe82uK0FdcskdoiU_64ANmNgGXl_Lwcw
Russia is forcing Google to delist URLs associated with virtual private networks, or VPNs, but almost half a million Russians are downloading the technology that allows them to obscure their internet usage and access government-blocked websites.
Clearly, Russians are looking for uncensored information about their government’s war against Ukraine.
“Surfshark conducted an analysis showing that the Russian telecoms regulator (Roskomnadzor) has forced Google to delist more than 36,000 URLs that link to VPN services over the past month,” a Surfshark representative told me via email. (The company offers a VPN product.) “The most significant spike of requests was recorded amid the second week of the war, when the Kremlin banned various media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, while others left due to a ‘fake news’ law.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kremlin arrests FSB chiefs in fallout from Ukraine chaos
The defenestration of several senior spies is a sign of Putin’s growing fury towards the intelligence services
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kremlin-arrests-fsb-chiefs-in-fallout-from-ukraine-invasion-chaos-92w0829c5?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1647065591-1
Tomi Engdahl says:
French car maker Renault and Finnish tire maker Nokian Tyres both defended their continuation of business in Russia this week, as a small but powerful list of multinational firms maintain Russian business operations https://trib.al/C6AMqGo
Tomi Engdahl says:
Activists are targeting Russians with open-source “protestware”
At least one open-source software project has had malicious code added which aimed to wipe computers located in Russia and Belarus.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/03/21/1047489/activists-are-targeting-russians-with-open-source-protestware/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://redstate.com/streiff/2022/03/19/belarus-rail-lines-carrying-trains-with-supplies-for-the-russian-army-are-being-hit-by-sabotage-attacks-n538248
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To Improve Your Portfolio Strategy Amid The Russia-Ukraine Conflict
https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2022/03/15/improving-your-portfolio-strategy-amid-the-russia-ukraine-conflict/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russians Are Racing to Download Wikipedia Before It Gets Banned
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslate.com%2Ftechnology%2F2022%2F03%2Frussia-wikipedia-download-kiwix.html&h=AT1jcQAurgFIvzwBl4v9OhhlT72WKMXhCBcxF7WmTMHTUoVcv1bH5BUOeW-wtsuruVbuwmjEv4Nq9XYDD_Bz4MBKMwIe7sQoOaPT5Bt69sOcPZfBIFBOO3YAtT4aL7Z97w
On March 1, after a week of horror in Ukraine, reports came out that Russia’s censorship office had threatened to block Russian Wikipedia. A 32-year-old who asked to be called Alexander soon made a plan to download a local copy of Russian-language Wikipedia to keep with him in eastern Russia.
“I did it just in case,” he told me over Instagram Messenger before sharing that he and his wife are “working on moving to another country” with their two dogs, Prime and Shaggy. (Instagram has been blocked in Russia, but many continue to access it using virtual private networks. On Monday, the Russian government officially declared Facebook and Instagram “extremist organizations.”)
Tomi Engdahl says:
”Vladimir Putinin peruspäätelmä on toteutumassa”
https://www.verkkouutiset.fi/vladimir-putinin-peruspaatelma-on-toteutumassa/#ea96f32c
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/21/1087903332/us-companies-russia-cyberattacks-ukraine-infrastructure
Tomi Engdahl says:
Get out or face our wrath, Anonymous tells big firms in Russia
https://cybernews.com/news/get-out-or-face-our-wrath-anonymous-tells-big-firms-in-russia/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hacktivist group GhostSec is claiming to have remotely hijacked more than 300 Russian printers, forcing them to run antiwar messages until their ink runs dry.
Russian printers juiced by hacker antiwar messages
https://cybernews.com/cyber-war/russian-printers-juiced-by-hacker-antiwar-messages/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cybernews&utm_content=post
Hacktivist group GhostSec has apparently decided that even in modern warfare the pen is mightier than the sword, and is claiming to have remotely hijacked more than 300 Russian printers, forcing them to run antiwar messages until their ink runs dry.
“Dear Brother/Sister,” reads a transcript of the alleged printed message on communication app Telegram. “This isn’t your war, this is your government’s war. Your brothers and sisters are being lied to, some units think they are practising military drills. However, when they arrive [...] they’re greeted by bloodthirsty Ukrainians who want redemption and revenge from [sic] the damage that Putin’s puppets cause upon the land.”
According to other sources, more than 10,000 antiwar messages have been printed, though it is not clear where in Russia the hacked printing machines are located, though GhostSec implied on Telegram that its targets had been primarily military and other government installations: “many Mil and Gov networks = ink completely wasted.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arnold Schwarzeneggerin sodanvastainen puhe on “kuin oppikirjaesimerkki”, sanoo professori – taidonnäyte ei jää venäläisiltäkään huomaamatta
https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-12370067
Tomi Engdahl says:
Venäjän duuma hyväksyi lakiehdotuksen – jatkossa ”valeuutisia” jakavia voi uhata 15 vuoden vankeus https://www.is.fi/ulkomaat/art-2000008699726.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
How the cyber world can support Ukraine
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/how-the-cyber-world-can-support-ukraine/
The conflict in Ukraine has invoked fears over escalated cyberattacks.
The international cyber community is showing its support to Ukraine through various means.
To ensure a safe cyber society for all, we must unite around shared cyberspace values and ideals.
Since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2014, most media reporting has centred on conflict within the physical world. Less attention has been paid to the very real cyber-component of the struggle.
Globally, cyberattacks are on the rise: governments worldwide saw a 1,885% increase in ransomware attacks and the healthcare industry saw a 755% increase. Malware increased by 358% in 2020, and ransomware by 435%. Ransomware inflicted $6 trillion worth of damages in 2021. ‘Ransomware as a service’, driven by profit-seeking groups, known as ‘cyber mercenaries’, are offering cyberattack services to anyone willing to pay. These ‘hackers for hire’ have launched various attacks in Ukraine since the conflict started.
How concerned is the cybersecurity community over cyber warfare in Ukraine?
The global cybersecurity community has been on its toes concerning threats in Eastern Europe and beyond. Cyber weapons have been deployed in several forms in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In 2015, the Ukrainian power grid was hacked with a Trojan virus, while Petya malware was deployed in 2016, incapacitating various Ukrainian government websites. These attacks, reportedly, were orchestrated by a hacking group known as ‘Sandworm’. Worryingly, before the Russian land invasion in February 2022, intelligence agencies warned that Sandworm had added a powerful new weapon to their arsenal: Cyclops Blink. This malware has been deployed through firewall devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The hacktivist group has drawn return fire in its latest scattergun approach to targeting firms still doing business in Russia, after it used Twitter to urge more than 30 multinationals to pull out immediately – or face consequences.
Get out or face our wrath, Anonymous tells big firms in Russia
https://cybernews.com/news/get-out-or-face-our-wrath-anonymous-tells-big-firms-in-russia/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cybernews&utm_content=post
The hacktivist group has drawn return fire in its latest scattergun approach to targeting firms still doing business in Russia, after it used Twitter to urge more than 30 multinationals to pull out immediately – or face consequences.
Anonymous tweeted the message: “We call on all companies that continue to operate in Russia by paying taxes to the budget of the Kremlin’s criminal regime – pull out of Russia! We give you 48 hours to reflect and withdraw or else you will be under [sic] our target!”
Accompanying the exhortation was a graphic depicting the logos of dozens of big corporations, including Burger King, Citrix, Nestle, and Subway.
Of these, Nestle – a global manufacturer of food and drink – seems to have drawn the most ire from the hacktivist group, which devoted a separate tweet to the corporation.
“Nestle, as the death toll climbs, you have been warned and now breached,” it said. “Anonymous is holding you responsible for the murder of defenseless children and mothers.”
This is not the first time the Swiss multinational has come under fire for refusing calls to withdraw from a sanctioned country.
Has Anonymous gone too far?
But, Nestle aside, there was immediately some pushback on Twitter against Anonymous’ latest social media salvo. Other tweeters are claiming that some of the companies named and shamed have either withdrawn from Russia or cannot because of franchising arrangements that leave them powerless to close down their operations there.
Who to believe?
On closer inspection, both those speaking out in defense of companies listed by Anonymous and the naysayers appear to have a point.
While elevator manufacturer Otis has declared it will cease taking new orders from Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, it also said it would continue to honor existing agreements to supply essential maintenance.
Bridgestone has stated that as of March 18 it has suspended exports, manufacturing operations and new business regarding Russia until further notice.
Citigroup has said it will accelerate its wind-down of operations in Russia, already begun last year
As for Burger King, its order to shut down its 800 outlets in Russia was refused by the local operator, with Subway pleading similar obstacles in the face of growing calls for a boycott of its products.
Other multinationals named by Anonymous in its Twitter post graphic include Halliburton, Koch, Marriott and Cloudflare.
Evidence of the hacktivist group’s spread-shot approach to naming and shaming companies is further emphasized by their differing track records.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Biden warns business leaders to prepare for Russian cyber attacks
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2022%2F03%2F21%2Fpolitics%2Fbiden-russia-cyber-activity%2Findex.html&h=AT2HocEWQwj_PlWBvz_shvw1ctY6pMEv3qQ-tlEmQbUaCR4epbAcdaEiFuiQ5mvCAnfjykqFfOOYVV_E8zYeYxZP24QVs3-f6Wz3OOTMYFD7BFn5KSpScgbW-I2Aht7X4w
(CNN) – President Joe Biden on Monday issued an urgent warning to American business leaders, telling them to strengthen their companies’ cyber defenses immediately.
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘The NSA could put the Russians back to the 19th century,’ in cyber warfare, says Christopher Rouland
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2022/03/22/the-nsa-could-put-the-russians-back-to-the-19th-century-in-cyber-warfare-says-christopher-rouland.html
Christopher Rouland, Phosphorus Cybersecurity CEO and former CTO of IBM, joins ‘Power Lunch’ to discuss the biggest existing cybersecurity threat, how the U.S. can best protect against cybersecurity threats and what a retaliation from the U.S. in cyber warfare would look like.
TUE, MAR 22 20222:34 PM EDT