The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is being fought through both physical and cyberattacks. A report by Flashpoint looks into the role cyberattacks have in the conflict. The methods used by Russia against Ukraine highlight a need for security leaders to strengthen their cybersecurity efforts against threats.

Before the conflict officially began, the internet played a large role in Russian military recruitment. The report found that Russia utilized chat rooms to spread advertisements and information. Throughout the course of the conflict, information continues to be shared through social media and online chat platforms. While the information can be accurate, the same channels have been used to spread disinformation. According to Flashpoint, cryptocurrency-based transactions donating to Ukraine, or at least claiming to, saw a sharp increase at the start of the conflict.

The report also looked into destructive malware wipers. Flashpoint first detected wiper campaigns in January of 2022. The campaigns went after Ukrainian government networks, IT firms and nonprofits. The report found that the malware disguised itself as ransomware as a way to conceal itself while destroying important data. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks have risen from third parties, including hacktivists, as well.

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Cybersecurity, Physical, Physical Security, Security Leadership and Management