Dateline Moscow, Kyiv, Brussels, London, Washington: Hybrid aggression and hybrid defense.
Ukraine at D+1. (The CyberWire) Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to follow its brutal course. The civilized world imposes sanctions and looks to its own cyber defenses.
Putin waves nuclear sword in confrontation with the West (AP NEWS) It has been a long time since the threat of using nuclear weapons has been brandished so openly by a world leader, but Vladimir Putin has just done it, warning in a speech that he has the weapons available if anyone dares to use military means to try to stop Russia's takeover of Ukraine.
Ukraine capital girds for Russian assault (Reuters) Russian missiles pounded Kyiv on Friday, families cowered in shelters and authorities told residents to prepare Molotov cocktails to defend Ukraine's capital from an assault that the mayor said had already begun with saboteurs in the city.
Ukrainian Officials Report Missile Attacks in Kyiv (New York Times) Ukraine’s president denounced Russia in a televised address: “They say that civilian objects are not a target for them. It is a lie. They do not distinguish in which areas to operate.”
Live Updates: Russian Troops Enter Kyiv as Moscow Pushes to Topple Ukraine’s Government (New York Times) Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov made clear that Russia would not negotiate until Ukraine stopped fighting. Ukraine’s leaders told Kyiv residents to “prepare Molotov cocktails” to defend the capital.
Ukraine invasion news: Russia says it has taken airport north of Kyiv as city enters ‘defensive phase’ – live updates (the Guardian) Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko says ‘the enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us’ as strategic Hostomel airport reportedly falls
Photos: What Russia’s invasion of Ukraine looks like on the ground (Task & Purpose) As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, citizens began taking shelter or withdrawing cash, while others took what they could carry and fled.
Opinion | How To Think About Ukraine, in Maps and Charts (New York Times) Four things you should know.
Ukraine live updates: Ukraine says Russian forces are in the capital Kyiv (BBC News) The full-scale assault continues as missile strikes are reported on the Ukrainian capital and residents take cover in basements and metro stations.
Ukraine war: Russian tanks enter Kyiv as Ukrainian soldiers and civilians take up arms (The Telegraph) Ukrainian soldiers have started taking up positions around Kyiv after Russian troops were seen in northern suburbs and gunfire was heard near government buildings.
Mapped: Russia's invasion of Ukraine (The Telegraph) We track the key verified areas hit in Ukraine by the Russian military
Ukraine invasion: Russia looking to mass 'overwhelming forces' around Kyiv (The Telegraph) Russia has "eliminated" Ukraine's air defences and is looking to mass overwhelming forces around the capital Kyiv, a senior Western intelligence officer said on Thursday evening.
Biden Ramps Up Russia Sanctions as West Fears Fall of Kyiv (Bloomberg) President vows to impose ‘severe cost’ on Russia’s economy. Rules out barring Russia from Swift payments system for now.
Ukrainians trapped on Snake Island to the Russians demanding their surrender: ‘go fuck yourself.’ (Military Times) The border guards manning the small island were later killed, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
'Russian warship, go f--- yourself': Snake Island soldier's last words before Putin's troops opened fire (The Telegraph) Entire garrison of 13 Ukrainian border guards was killed after refusing to surrender to the Russian Navy
"Русский корабль, иди на х..й!": защитники Змеиного ответили врагу (Украинская правда) Стал известен ответ украинских пограничников на острове Змеиный на юге Украины на требование российского агрессора - сдасться.
Exclusive: 'All hell broke loose' - Ukrainian soldiers on front line reveal how Russian invasion started (The Telegraph) Troops holding the line against pro-Russian separatists at Kramatorsk airbase tell The Telegraph how the attack came with no warning
Ukrainian woman says Russian troops should carry seeds so flowers grow where they die (Military Times) An unidentified woman reportedly confronted Russian soldiers as they invade her homeland.
A graphical comparison of Russian and Ukrainian military forces (Defense News) Data from a recent military report offers a comparison between the military forces of the two countries, as well as some information on the separatist forces in Donetsk and Luhansk.
Ukraine death toll: What we know so far (Al Jazeera) Ukraine says dozens killed as Russia attacks on multiple fronts across the country.
Ukraine casualties in the hundreds as civilians bear brunt of Russia's attack (Newsweek) Explosions have been heard around the country after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation.
Latest images from Ukraine: Civilians in firing line as Russia attacks (The Telegraph) Forty of its soldiers have died so far, plus 50 'Russian occupiers', according to Ukraine's interior ministry
Ukrainians pray on the streets as Russia attacks in viral video (Newsweek) The video of the Ukrainians praying in the town square of Kharkiv has been viewed over 605,000 times.
Lukashenko Is Letting Putin Use Belarus to Attack Ukraine (Foreign Policy) Russian troops have used Belarus to stage attacks and seize Chernobyl.
Belarusian troops could be used in operation against Ukraine if needed, Lukashenko says (Reuters) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday that troops from the ex-Soviet country could take part in Russia's military operation against Ukraine if needed, the Belta news agency reported.
Putin’s War in Ukraine Will Not Stay in Ukraine (World Politics Review) The Russian invasion of Ukraine this morning ends several months of doubt and debate over the purpose of Moscow’s military buildup at the two countries’ border. But if the start of military operations closes a period of uncertainty as to what will come, it opens another one with even deeper and broader implications.
Ukraine-Russia crisis: Vladimir Putin announces 'military operation' in Donbas (The Telegraph) Vladimir Putin has announced a "military operation" in Ukraine – a move that has effectively declared war in Europe.
Invasion Puts Ukraine’s Nuclear Reactors at Risk, Monitors Warn (Bloomberg) It’s the first war waged amid operating nuclear power plants. Ukrainian forces have lost control over the Chernobyl site.
The Kharkiv Resistance Has Already Begun (Foreign Policy) “We really feel that the whole world is with us,” a resident said.
Experts React: Russia has launched a war against Ukraine. How can the West fight back? (Atlantic Council) Our experts are weighing in with their thoughts about where this conflict is going and how the West can fight back.
Russian Invasion Unfolds on Social Media (Wall Street Journal) Russia's invasion of Ukraine also has become a battle on social media, with the Ukrainian government calling for Twitter users to demand the platform remove the Russian government from the website.
[The Ukrainian government on Thursday tweeted](https://twitter.com/Ukraine/status/1496888388938604556
Shields Up (CISA) Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which has been accompanied by cyber-attacks on Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure organizations, may have consequences for our own nation’s critical infrastructure, a potential we’ve been warning about for months.
Russia is using an onslaught of cyber attacks to undermine Ukraine's defence capabilities (The Conversation) Further cyber exploitation of Ukraine could cause citizens immense distress at this critical moment.
Destructive Malware Seen in Ukraine as Risk of Cyber Spillover Looms (Wall Street Journal) ‘Wiper’ malware, also observed in Latvia and Lithuania, was put into motion hours before Russian tanks arrived in Ukraine, experts say.
Ukraine: Disk-wiping Attacks Precede Russian Invasion (Symantec Enterprise Blogs) Destructive malware deployed against targets in Ukraine and other countries in the region in the hours prior to invasion.
Ukrainian gov't sites disrupted by DDoS, wiper malware discovered (ZDNet) Cloudflare said the attack was "relatively modest compared to large DDoS attacks we've handled in the past."
HermeticWiper: New data‑wiping malware hits Ukraine | WeLiveSecurity (WeLiveSecurity) ESET researchers have found that hundreds of computers in Ukraine have been hit by new data-wiping malware called HermeticWiper.
Russia, Ukraine and the Danger of a Global Cyberwar (SecurityWeek) The big difference between the Russia of the USSR and the Russia of today has been the emergence of cyber as an accepted theater of war. It is this role of cyber that SecurityWeek discussed with Marcus Willett.
Russia’s Cyber Threat to Ukraine Is Vast—and Underestimated (Wired) The Kremlin's web of nonstate hackers can wreak just as much havoc as Putin's government.
Secureworks FAQ: Russian Activity in Ukraine (MarketScreener) On February 24, 2022, Russia began a military incursion into Ukraine. On February 23 there were ongoing distributed denial-of-service (DDOS), website defacement, and malware wiper attacks targeting Ukrainian government and financial services institutions. This follows similar attacks that occurred in mid-January (including the "WhisperGate" wiper) and earlier in February.
Ukrainian government calls on hackers to help defend against Russia (the Guardian) Cybersecurity firm seeks volunteers to help nation’s military conduct espionage operations against Russian forces
Russian websites down as Ukraine asks hacking groups for help (Computing) Government websites went down on Thursday as hacking groups around the world began to punish Russia
Russia appears to deploy digital defenses after DDoS attacks (The Record by Recorded Future) The Russian government appears to be geofencing its military website following attempts to knock it offline.
The Russians May Be Coming for U.S., Too (EE Times) Amid horrifying images of airstrikes and armored divisions rumbling towards Kyiv, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also heightens the threat of cyberattacks unrestrained by political borders.
Silicon Valley Companies Worried About Cyber Attacks From Russia (NBC Bay Area) Russia is not only invading Ukraine, but also hitting the country with a baggage of cyber attacks targeting banks and businesses, shutting down websites and spreading dangerous misinformation. And Silicon Valley companies fear they could be targeted next.
U.S. steels for Russian cyberwarfare following Ukraine invasion (Axios) An escalating cyber conflict would field-test the preparations U.S. agencies have made in recent years.
Will Russia launch cyberattacks after the Ukraine invasion? (Fortune) NATO said last year that multiple low-scale attacks could create a reason to retaliate.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine Brings ‘New Threat Level’ to U.S. Organizations (Channel Futures) The Russian invasion introduces a new threat level.
As Russia moves to 'decapitate' Ukrainian gov't, Biden announces new troops to Europe (Breaking Defense) Hypersonic weapons and amphibious assaults have not been seen as part of the initial wave of Russia's invasion, a defense official said today.
Ukraine: It’s both professional and personal (Federal News Network) Invasion prompts all-of-government response, but the effects are personal, too.
Biden given options for unprecedented cyberattacks against Russia (NBC News) The options presented include disrupting the internet across Russia, shutting off power and stopping trains in their tracks.
White House denies reports that it is considering cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure (ZDNet) Experts said any cyberattack on critical infrastructure would have devastating consequences.
White House denies reports of 'cyber attack menu' against Russia (Computing) A news report claims President Biden was presented with options to target Russia's national infrastructure - a claim the White House has denied
Ukraine Warned Over Danger Of Russian Spying On Telegram (Forbes) Telegram, a messaging app founded by Russian billionaire Pavel Durov, has become hugely popular in Ukraine. But Signal founder Moxie Marlinspike says it’s susceptible to Russian snooping.
DHS Designated as the Lead Federal Agency to Respond to Russia-Related Impacts to the United States (US Department of Homeland Security) The President has designated the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the lead Federal agency to coordinate domestic preparedness and response efforts related to the current Russia-Ukraine crisis. While there are no specific threats to the homeland at this time, DHS is taking appropriate steps to ensure Federal efforts are coordinated should the need arise.
Moscow May Agree to Talks; Putin Asset Freeze: Ukraine Update (Bloomberg) EU officials warn of sanctions impact on their own economies. Zelenskiy says he’s Russia’s No. 1 target, will stay in Kyiv.
Some Latin American nations call for Russian withdrawal from Ukraine (Reuters) Colombia, Argentina and Chile on Thursday called for swift withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, as other Latin American countries rejected the use of force but stopped short of calling for a Russian exit.
Details of EU, NATO's U.S., U.K. Sanctions Against Russia (Bloomberg) The U.S. the U.K. and the European Union hit Russia with more sanctions after President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. The measures come amid concern Kyiv may fall in a matter of hours.
German defense ministry preps citizens for possible military movements (Defense News) According to the announcement, all levels of the Bundeswehr are tasked to make preparations for switching to a quick-reaction posture in case of a NATO Response Force deployment.
European Leaders Agree to a Second Wave of Russia Sanctions (New York Times) The E.U. agreed to freeze the assets of President Putin and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, while other measures will hit Russia’s access to technology.
EU promises further sanctions as Ukraine's president pleads for more (Reuters) The European Union is planning a third round of sanctions against Moscow, an EU official said on Friday, minutes after Ukraine's president pleaded with the bloc for faster and more forceful steps to punish Russia for its invasion of his country.
PM unveils 'largest and most severe economic sanctions Russia has ever seen' (The Telegraph) Boris Johnson has announced that Britain will implement the "largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever seen" in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Boris Johnson warns ‘massive’ package of sanctions will ‘hobble’ Russian economy (The Telegraph) Prime Minister tells nation that ‘we will not look away’ as ‘Russian dictator’ Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine
Five ways Britain could really hurt Vladimir Putin (The Telegraph) Sanctions don't have to be weak. If Boris Johnson is truly willing to up the ante, here is how he could respond
What is SWIFT and could it be used to punish Putin? (Al Jazeera) Disconnecting Russia from the SWIFT payment system could cripple its ability to trade with most of the world.
Biden announces new sanctions and decries Russia’s ‘brutal assault’ (Washington Post) President Biden outlined U.S. sanctions against Russia after it launched a full-scale attack against Ukraine, and said the aggression “cannot go unanswered,” adding that if it did, “the consequences for America would be much worse.”
Five Takeaways From Biden’s Speech on Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine (Bloomberg) Here are the key takeaways from President Joe Biden’s address on U.S.’s efforts to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden spoke from the White House Thursday. Click here for the TOPLive blog.
Ukraine lobbies U.S. officials for bans on Russia software, aviation -diplomat (Reuters) Ukraine's government is lobbying the Biden administration to cut Russia off from U.S. software updates, to ban Russian flights, and to block the supply of goods to Russia's civil aviation industry in an effort to rally support for drastic sanctions while the Kremlin pushes deeper into Ukrainian territory.
America Could Have Done So Much More to Protect Ukraine (The Atlantic) The paths to deterrence were not taken.
Britain's spy chief claims intelligence scoop on Putin's invasion of Ukraine (Reuters) Spies in the United States and Britain scored an intelligence scoop by uncovering Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to order the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, Britain's foreign spy chief said.
Accurate U.S. intelligence did not stop Putin, but it gave Biden big advantages. (New York Times) The depth and quality of the intelligence strengthened the president’s hand in persuading allies to form a unified front against Moscow.
How Biden defeated Putin’s Ukraine disinformation campaign (Quartz) Unprecedented intelligence sharing dispelled Russia's attempts at confusing the world.
FACT SHEET: Joined by Allies and Partners, the United States Imposes Devastating Costs on Russia (The White House) Russia to Face Massive Costs from its Isolation from the Global Financial and Trade System and Cutting-Edge Technology Today, the United States,
Biden Ramps Up Russia Sanctions as West Fears Fall of Kyiv (Bloomberg) President vows to impose ‘severe cost’ on Russia’s economy. Rules out barring Russia from Swift payments system for now.
Congress urges ‘crushing’ sanctions, bolstered NATO defenses after Ukraine assault (Defense News) “Vladimir Putin alone has chosen violence over reason,” said Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed.
U.S. to Restrict Russia Foreign Tech Imports Over Ukraine (Bloomberg) Commerce Department adds two new foreign direct product rules. Measures meant to target Russia’s defense, aerospace sectors.
Biden Deflects Democrats’ Pleas to Boot Russia From Swift (Bloomberg) Republicans, Democrats press for expelling Russia over war. Swift member nations wary of consequences of expulsion.
Biden Administration Debates Legality of Arming Ukrainian Resistance (Foreign Policy) Russia could make the case that the United States is a co-combatant.
Russia Could Use Cryptocurrency to Blunt the Force of U.S. Sanctions (New York Times) Russian companies have many cryptocurrency tools at their disposal to evade sanctions, including a so-called digital ruble and ransomware.
Ukraine asks for S.Korea cybersecurity aid amid Russia invasion (Reuters) The top Ukraine official in South Korea said on Friday that his country wants to request Seoul's assistance in boosting its cybersecurity capability to defend against Russian attacks.
Why Putin’s War Is the West’s Biggest Test Since World War II (Foreign Policy) There is every indication the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been plotted for maximum global impact.
At great risk for Ukraine and Russia, Putin signals a dark endgame (Washington Post) Russian President Vladimir Putin, posing one of the biggest security threats to Europe since World War II, is staking his legacy on an irredentist invasion of Ukraine that poses significant risks to his own country and raises worrisome questions about his ambitions to bring Kyiv to heel.
Why Vladimir Putin has chosen to invade Ukraine now (The Telegraph) The president has long believed Ukraine should be part of Russia - but now he sees an invasion opportunity he might not get again
U.S. Says It’s Ready to Take in War’s Refugees: Ukraine Update (Bloomberg) Western allies see Kyiv, the Ukraine capital, poised to fall to Russian forces soon. U.S. President Joe Biden announced additional sanctions on Russia, and European allies signed off on their list of penalties. Fighting continued in Ukraine with Russian troops hitting from the north, south and east, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s defense chief predicting a new wave of attacks.
America must act — our security and prosperity are at stake in Putin’s war on Ukraine (New York Post) The war began eight years ago, when Moscow seized and annexed Crimea and launched a not-quite-covert war in Ukraine’s Donbas region, resulting in more than 14,000 Ukrainian deaths
The next National Defense Strategy must get Russia right (Atlantic Council) The rapidly developing 2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis raises a key question for US defense policy makers as they finalize the next National Defense Strategy (NDS): How can the NDS get Russia "right"? This issue brief seeks to answer this question by developing a US defense strategy for deterring and managing the Russian threat in Europe and beyond, building upon the authors' 2021 report, "Seizing the Advantage: A Vision for the Next US National Defense Strategy."
Great-grandson of a Ukrainian refugee, Pritzker denounces Russian invasion, warns of potential cyberattacks on Illinois (Chicago Sun-Times) The state has close military ties of its own with Ukraine, with an Illinois Army National Guard task force providing training to troops in the country last year. A group of Illinois National Guard advisors returned from Poland earlier this month after working with a brigade including members of the Ukrainian military.
Turkey calls on Russia to stop ‘unlawful operation’ (Hürriyet Daily News) President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has described the Russian military operation against Ukraine as a serious blow to regional security and as an unacceptable act, as he presided a security summit to assess the ongoing developments following the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Israel takes sides in Ukraine invasion, braces for consequences in Syria (Breaking Defense) Jerusalem had tried to placate Russia to keep a free hand against regional rivals.
China refuses to call Russian attack on Ukraine an ‘invasion,’ deflects blame to U.S. (CNBC) China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson refused to categorize Russia's attack as an "invasion" during a news conference Thursday.
Ukraine desperately needs help (Atlantic Council) As Russia declares war, Ukraine calls on the global community not to sit on the sidelines and to urgently stand with Ukrainians.
"This is not a meme": Ukraine tweets cartoon comparing Putin to Hitler (Quartz) The Ukrainian government is engaging in meme warfare as violence breaks out on its borders
Why Vladimir Putin has chosen to invade Ukraine now (The Telegraph) The president has long believed Ukraine should be part of Russia - but now he sees an invasion opportunity he might not get again
No, Vladimir Putin isn’t triumphing over the West (The Telegraph) The Kremlin’s aggression has given Nato a new lease of life, and forced Germany and others to change tack
Russians Now See a New Side to Putin: Dragging Them Into War (New York Times) The autocrat who has steered Russia for 22 years was embraced by many Russians for what they saw as his rationality and astute risk management. That image has been upended.
A top Russian business lobbyist pleaded with Putin to 'demonstrate as much as possible' that Russia wants to remain 'part of the global economy' (Business Insider) Alexander Shokhin, president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, urged Putin to stem economic pain from NATO members' sanctions.
Putin Can Safely Ignore Russian Critics of His War -- For Now (Bloomberg) Unlike the 2014 Crimea takeover, the invasion of Ukraine won’t give Putin a bump in the polls, but repression will keep protests to a minimum.
‘I fear Putin is unstoppable’: Russians on the invasion of Ukraine (the Guardian) Many Guardian readers in Russia who got in touch with us said Putin was not representative of the country – and there was concern about sanctions
Putin Is Repeating the USSR’s Mistakes (Foreign Affairs) Russia's attack on Ukraine strengthens NATO.
Could this be the beginning of the end of Vladimir Putin? (The Telegraph) Putin’s nostalgia for the Soviet past may resonate with older people, but younger Russians may see it as an old man’s fantasy
Dow falls into correction as Russian attack on Ukraine roils world markets (Washington Post) Investors are bracing for energy-related disruptions following the military offensive, which is expected to trigger sanctions on Russia that would disrupt the world economy.
Breakingviews - Ukraine war flashes neon warning lights for chips (Reuters) Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea risks reverberating across the global chip industry and exacerbating current supply-chain constraints. Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas critical for lasers used in chipmaking and supplies more than 90% of U.S. semiconductor-grade neon, according to estimates from research firm Techcet. About 35% of palladium, a rare metal also used for semiconductors, is sourced from Russia. A full-scale conflict disrupting exports of these elements might hit players like Intel , which gets about 50% of its neon from Eastern Europe according to JPMorgan.
Ukraine’s invasion underscores Europe’s deep reliance on Russian fossil fuels (MIT Technology Review) The conflict threatens to drive energy costs even higher, forcing nations to grapple with their deep dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
Bay Area cybersecurity stocks surge on Russian hack attack fears (Silicon Valley Business Journal) Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent shares of four Silicon Valley cybersecurity companies up sharply Thursday.
Ukraine-Angriff: Bayerische Firmen zwischen Schock und Sorge (BR24) Die russische Ukraine-Invasion bestürzt auch viele Unternehmer. In die Angst um Beschäftigte mischen sich Sorgen wegen möglicher Sanktionen. Doch auch wer keine Geschäfte mit Russland macht, muss sich wohl auf steigende Energiepreise einstellen.
Pussy Riot Founder, Trippy Labs, PleasrDAO Members Launch 'Ukraine DAO' (Decrypt) Ukraine DAO, co-founded by a Pussy Riot member, is selling Ethereum NFTs to raise money for Ukrainians harmed by the Russian invasion.
Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
CISA Warns of Ongoing Attacks by MuddyWater APT (Decipher) U.S. agencies are warning that the Iranian-backed APT group MuddyWater is targeting organizations in many industries in North America and elsewhere.
US and UK expose new malware used by MuddyWater hackers (BleepingComputer) US and UK cybersecurity and law enforcement agencies today shared info on new malware deployed by the Iranian-backed MuddyWatter hacking group in attacks targeting critical infrastructure worldwide.
Joint advisory on MuddyWater actor (NCSC) A joint advisory with international partners on the Iranian actor MuddyWater.
FBI, CISA, Cyber Command take aim at cyber-espionage by Iran's MuddyWater group (CyberScoop) U.S. and U.K. government agencies called out Iranian government-affiliated hackers Thursday, accusing them of being behind cyber-espionage targeting the defense, local government, oil and natural gas and telecommunications sectors across the globe.
Iranian Government-Sponsored MuddyWater Actors Conducting Malicious Cyber Operations (CISA) CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Cyber Command Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-UK), and the National Security Agency (NSA) have issued a joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) detailing malicious cyber operations by Iranian government-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) actors known as MuddyWater.
Iranian Government-Sponsored Actors Conduct Cyber Operations Against Global Government and Commercial Networks (CISA) Actions to Take Today to Protect Against Malicious Activity * Search for indicators of compromise. * Use antivirus software. * Patch all systems. * Prioritize patching known exploited vulnerabilities. * Train users to recognize and report phishing attempts.
Russia’s Sandworm Hackers Have Built a Botnet of Firewalls (Wired) Western intelligence services are raising alarms about Cyclops Blink, the latest tool at the notorious group’s disposal.
Are New Zealand's sub sea cables a cybersecurity risk? (IT Brief New Zealand) Submarine cable networks are often perceived as quite an anomaly to some. While they are generally a crucial part of a country's data and communication infrastructure, there is limited knowledge and public perception of the actual technology behind them.
Fortinet: Log4j had nearly 50x activity volume of ProxyLogon (ZDNet) The Fortinet report also spotlighted an increasing number of attacks on Linux systems.
Serious Security Shock For 100 Million Samsung Galaxy S8-S21 Smartphone Users (Forbes) 100 million Samsung Galaxy users warned to check their security updates
TrickBot gang shuts down botnet after months of inactivity (The Record by Recorded Future) The operators of the TrickBot malware botnet have shut down their server infrastructure today after months of inactivity, bringing to an end one of the most dangerous and persistent malware operations seen in recent years.
Citibank phishing baits customers with fake suspension alerts (BleepingComputer) An ongoing large-scale phishing campaign is targeting customers of Citibank, requesting recipients to disclose sensitive personal details to lift alleged account holds.
Sextortion Rears Its Ugly Head Again (Threatpost) Attackers are sending email blasts with malware links in embedded PDFs as a way to evade email filters, lying about having fictional "video evidence."
GiveSendGo hit with yet another data breach as more donors' personal info exposed (The Daily Dot) Hackers have once again leaked data on donors to the Freedom Convoy fundraiser hosted by the Christian crowdfunding website GiveSendGo.
Security Patches, Mitigations, and Software Updates
NSA Informs Cisco of Vulnerability Exposing Nexus Switches to DoS Attacks (SecurityWeek) Cisco releases patches as part of the February 2022 Semiannual FXOS and NX-OS security updates.
Cisco issues field notice to patch its Firepower firewall software (SC Margazine) Cisco says the SSL certificates for Talos security updates for the Firepower firewalls will be decommissioned and replaced on March 6, 2022.
FATEK Automation FvDesigner (CISA) 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CVSS v3 7.8 ATTENTION: Low attack complexity Vendor: FATEK Automation Equipment: FvDesigner Vulnerabilities: Stack-based Buffer Overflow, Out-of-bounds Write, Out-of-bounds Read 2. RISK EVALUATION Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code.
Mitsubishi Electric EcoWebServerIII (CISA) 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CVSS v3 7.5 ATTENTION: Exploitable remotely/low attack complexity Vendor: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Equipment: Energy Saving Data Collecting Server (EcoWebServerIII) Vulnerabilities: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, Improperly Controlled Modification of Dynamically-Determined Object Attributes 2.
Schneider Electric Easergy P5 and P3 (CISA) 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CVSS v3 8.8 ATTENTION: Low attack complexity Vendor: Schneider Electric Equipment: Easergy P5 and P3 Vulnerabilities: Use of Hard-coded Credentials, Classic Buffer Overflow 2. RISK EVALUATION Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities may disclose device credentials, cause a denial-of-service condition, device reboot, or allow an attacker to gain full control of the relay.
Baker Hughes Bently Nevada 3500 (CISA) 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CVSS v3 8.2 ATTENTION: Exploitable remotely/low attack complexity Vendor: Bently Nevada, a Baker Hughes subsidiary Equipment: 3500 Vulnerability: Use of Password Hash with Insufficient Computational Effort 2. REPOSTED INFORMATION This advisory was originally posted to the HSIN ICS library on August 19, 2021, and is being released to the ICS webpage on www.cisa.gov/uscert.
Trends
Mandiant Introduces Trending Evil Quarterly Report Series (Mandiant) Trending Evil is a new quarterly report series that offers an inside look at recent threats.
The Path to Digital Transformation: Where IT Leaders Stand in 2022 (Insight Solutions) We commissioned IDG Research Services to survey CIOs, CTOs, CSOs, and others in IT leadership roles about how priorities are shifting to enable business in an increasingly digital landscape. This is what they told us.
U.S. Has Cyber Enemies - More Than the Usual List with Offensive Hacking in the Mix (ClearanceJobs) What other countries could join the ranks of Russia, China, and Iran in engaging with the U.S. and allies in cyber warfare?
FortiGuard Labs Reports Ransomware Not Slowing; Continues to be Relentless and More Destructive (GlobeNewswire News Room) Sophistication, Speed, and Diversity of Attack Techniques Demonstrates Importance of Strengthening Entire Cyber Kill Chain...
Many of the world’s elders avoid the internet due to lack of support (Avast) With the right support, many older people would venture into the digital world. Let’s explore how the digital freedom of elders can be improved and maintained.
Marketplace
Cloudflare Plans to Acquire Email Security Startup Area 1 (SecurityWeek) Cloudflare has announced plans to purchase Area 1, a Kleiner-Perkins-backed startup doing business in the competitive email security space.
Belden Sells Tripwire for $350M After Acquiring It for $710M (SecurityWeek) Belden has sold Tripwire to HelpSystems for $350 million after acquiring it in 2015 for $710 million.
anecdotes Raises $25 Million for Its Compliance OS Platform (SecurityWeek) Compliance solutions provider anecdotes this week announced that it has raised $25 million in Series A funding, which brings the total investment in the company to $30 million.
London-based cybersecurity firm Red Sift raises $54 million (Tech.eu) Offering a suite of cybersecurity products that block outbound phishing attacks, ensure the security of inbound communications, and fight against domain spoofing, Red Sift has raised $54 million and now plans to take on the US market
Livingbridge-backed TitanHQ acquires Cyber Risk Aware (Private Equity Wire) TitanHQ, an invested company of UK mid-market private equity investor Livingbridge, has acquired Cyber Risk Aware, a security awareness platform.
Darktrace makes €47.5m cybersecurity acquisition (BusinessCloud) Deal for attack surface management company gives listed Darktrace additional R&D centre in the Netherlands
Irish cybersecurity player Integrity360 snaps up UK's Caretower (Silicon Republic) UK-based managed cybersecurity services provider Caretower is set to become an Integrity360 company.
Astrix Security Nabs $15M to Tackle Attack Surface Sprawl (SecurityWeek) Israeli startup Astrix Security has banked $15 million to build technology to help organizations secure third-party app integrations.
Trio Of Cyber Companies Become Newest Minted Unicorns, Continuing Strong Start Of Year In Funding In Sector (Crunchbase News) This week is off to a furious start for cybersecurity startups — as three new unicorns have been minted in the space in two days.
Delinea CEO Art Gilliland talks rebranding, and the next phase of access management (SC Magazine) We caught up with Art Gilliland, CEO at Delinea, only weeks after the rebranding that was spurred by the merger of Thycotic with Centrify. What does this rebranding mean for customers? What are the technical strengths of Thycotic and Centrify? And what's next for privileged access management? We asked him.
Irving-Based Cysiv Sees Record Growth as Demand Rises for SOC-as-a-Service (Dallas Innovates) The spinout from Trend Micro has grown fast since its launch within that company in 2018. In 2021, the Security Operations Center (SOC)-as-a-Service startup doubled its client base with global revenue up more than 100%. Cysiv also won Tech titans' 2021 Fast Tech Award with 1,848% three-year revenue growth. Its CEO and co-founder, Partha Panda, tells us how Cysiv helps clients detect and respond to the "needle-in-a-haystack true threats" they worry about most.
A year after its launch, here's how Arlington's Two Six Technologies is growing in the govtech space (Technical.ly) CEO Joe Logue breaks down the national security tech firm's massive growth in its first year.
Barracuda Networks opens regional data centre in India (The HinduBusinessline) The company said it also opened two new regional data centres in France and United Arab Emirates
IBM opens cyber security hub in India (ComputerWeekly.com) Big Blue’s new cyber security hub, comprising a cyber range, software development facilities and a security operations centre, will serve enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region.
CRITICALSTART Announces Several New Hires and Promotions at the Vice President Level as the Company Accelerates Growth (Critical Start) The MDR services provider has added two new roles and promoted three existing employees to Vice President positions Plano, Texas – February 24, 2022 – Critical Start, a leading and trusted provider of Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, announced today that Chris Carlson has been hired as the Vice President of Product and Randy […]
WISeKey Appoints David Khalifa as Vice-President of Global Sales (GlobeNewswire News Room) WISeKey Appoints David Khalifa as Vice-President of Global Sales Geneva – February 24, 2022 - WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN,...
Colleen Healy joins SailPoint as CFO (Help Net Security) SailPoint announced Colleen Healy as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), replacing interim CFO Cam McMartin.
SailPoint Names Meredith Blanchar Chief Customer Officer (Business Wire) SailPoint today named Meredith Blanchar as its Chief Customer Officer.
Products, Services, and Solutions
New infosec products of the week: February 25, 2022 (Help Net Security) The featured infosec products this week are from: Arista Networks, Darktrace, Forcepoint, MyCena, NetSPI, Ondato, Sumo Logic, and SynSaber.
Styra Pioneers Context-Rich Entitlements for Modern Application Authorization (Business Wire) Styra, Inc., the founders and maintainers of Open Policy Agent (OPA) and leader of cloud-native authorization, today announced Styra Declarative Autho
Orca Security Now Available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace (Business Wire) Orca Security today announced the availability of the Orca Cloud Security Platform in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace.
Apiiro Unveils Cloud-Native AppSec Community for Security and DevSecOps Professionals (Apiiro) We are reinventing the Secure Software Development Lifecycle with complete risk visibility for every change from design to code to cloud.
Cowbell Cyber Partners with Trend Micro to Offer Improved Access to Cyber Insurance (PR Newswire) Cowbell Cyber, the industry's first AI-powered cyber insurance provider for small to medium enterprises (SMEs), today announced its partnership...
Semperis Expands Active Directory Cyberattack Recovery Capabilities with Built-in Post-Attack Forensics and Fast OS Provisioning (Business Wire) Semperis Expands Active Directory Cyberattack Recovery Capabilities with Built-in Post-Attack Forensics and Fast OS Provisioning
StrikeForce Expands Into Brazil with New Distribution Partner (GlobeNewswire News Room) StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: SFOR), a cyber security company that provides next-gen cyber,...
KnowBe4 cyber drama tackles Colonial Pipeline in fourth season (ComputerWeekly.com) KnowBe4’s ongoing cyber security training drama, The Inside Man, reaches its fourth season with a plot drawing inspiration from one of the most impactful cyber attacks of 2021.
Cellebrite Selected by a National Police Service in APAC to Continue Modernizing Digital Investigation Capabilities (GlobeNewswire News Room) Cellebrite’s investigative Digital Intelligence solutions to be deployed throughout the country to help reduce crime against people and property...
Orange Cyberdefense joins Microsoft Intelligent Security Association for enhanced view of customers’ IT protection (VanillaPlus) Paris, France. 24 February 2022 -- Orange Cyberdefense, a European provider of cybersecurity services, has joined the Microsoft Intelligent Security
Radware Extends its Cloud Application Security with API Discovery and Threat Protection (GlobeNewswire News Room) Automatically identifies undocumented APIs, detects emerging threats, and creates security policies without human intervention...
How Palo Alto Networks modernized its security management with AI (ZDNet) Cortex XSIAM gives the legacy SIEM a shot of artificial intelligence to combat today's threats.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud now supports Google Cloud (Windows Central) Microsoft Defender for Cloud just added support for Google Cloud. Microsoft’s security solution now works with three of the most popular cloud providers: Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud.
Tanium and Carahsoft Join Forces to Provide Public Sector with Real-time Visibility, Comprehensive Control, Rapid Response (Business Wire) Tanium and Carahsoft Technology Corp. announce a partnership with the common goal to help the public sector
NetSPI Attack Surface Management enhances security posture for organizations (Help Net Security) NetSPI introduced Attack Surface Management to help organizations discover and secure all assets on the external attack surface.
IronOrbit Partners with Duo Security (PR.com) 2Factor Authentication Increases Protection from Cyberattacks by 80%.
Technologies, Techniques, and Standards
Assessment of the Critical Supply Chains Supporting the U.S. Information and Communications Technology Industry (US Department of Commerce and US Department of Homeland Security) On February 24, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (E.O) 14017 on America's Supply Chains, which directed a whole-of-government approach to reviewing risks in, and strengthening the resilience of, supply chains supporting six industries that are critical to U.S. economic prosperity and national security.
Companies spending $6M on ransomware mitigation: Is it working? (Help Net Security) A CBI and Ponemon report takes a look at companies’ ransomware strategies and mitigation tactics and the operational impact of incidents.
As costs tied to ransomware attacks pile, financial firms lack confidence in backup strategy (SC Magazine) More than half of the financial firms surveyed by Ponemon/CBI, 55%, say they believe a “full and accurate backup is not sufficient with respect to mitigation when experiencing a ransomware attack.”
Compliance does not equal OT network security (TechCentral) Research reveals OT security leaders believe maintaining compliance with regulations is their top concern. Today’s threat landscape necessitates more.
Academia
US Naval Community College Selects Western Governors University for Competency-Based Education Cybersecurity Program (DVIDS) The U.S. Naval Community College selected Western Governors University as one of the Pilot II cybersecurity associate degree programs Feb. 11, 2022.
Legislation, Policy, and Regulation
US-Mexico border summit addresses cyber security threats at border amid Russia-Ukraine war (KFOX) The U. S. government is on high alert for more cyberattacks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia has shown an ability to cause significant disruption and damage in cyberspace in the past and it's likely they will take retaliatory measures to the sanctions being imposed. The Biden administration said they are working with the private sector to sharpen their ability to respond to cyber-attacks. Caption: Lianna Golden reports on US-Mexico summit discusses cyber attacks. The U. S.
CISA’s Robert Costello Talks Culture Shifts, Cyber Innovation Strategies During Keynote at GovCon Wire’s Information Security & Innovation Forum (GovConWire) GovCon Wire Events’ timely Information Security and Innovation Forum on Wednesday brought together prominent figures across government and industry to discuss how public and private sector organizations are working together to better fortify the United States’ critical information security and cybersecurity capabilities in response to the heightened threat of cyber attacks in today’s digital age.
The Navy’s Cyber Warfare Magazines Have Always Been Empty (U.S. Naval Institute) For more than a decade Navy information warfare leaders have smothered the specialization needed to develop a serious offensive cyber warfare capability.
US Army cyber conference seeks to bolster holistic national cybersecurity (C4ISRNet) The Jack Voltaic series brings together a diverse group of organizations to bolster the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure.
Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement
China's Supreme Court Rules Crypto Transactions Constitute 'Illegal Fundraising' (CoinDesk) The ruling paves the way for violators to be criminally prosecuted, with a punishment of up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $79,000.
EU parliament to investigate use of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware (Euronews) The European Parliament is setting up a rare committee of inquiry into the Pegasus spyware scandal. #EuropeanDebates
Battle over future of spytech firm NSO: Israel court papers (France 24) A court fight within Israeli spytech firm NSO Group has shed new light on the crisis engulfing the company, including tensions over whether to keep selling malware to autocrats to stay afloat.
Opinion | NSO Never Engaged in Illegal Mass Surveillance (Wall Street Journal) The media has called it the ‘Pegasus Affair.’ Yet government investigations have found no evidence of wrongdoing by my company.
Waste Management Company Beats Employees’ Data Breach Lawsuit (Bloomberg Law) USA Waste-Management Resources LLC beat a proposed class suit alleging it failed to prevent the theft of employee personal information in a data breach, in part because the plaintiffs failed to allege how the company breached any duty of care, a federal court in New York said Thursday.
NSW driver's licence data stolen in Accellion breach (iTnews) Some customers, agency staff only now being notified.
Editorial: A governor clueless about computers has no business overseeing cybersecurity (STLtoday.com) On Gov. Mike Parson's watch, the executive branch's Office of Cybersecurity urges people to "have fun; life is short" as a guiding principle.
Palo Alto Knocks Kramer Levin In New PTAB Hearing Bid (Law360) Palo Alto Networks called into question the candor of a cybersecurity startup in front of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, asking for a new hearing after the board rejected its petition to review the startup's patent and arguing that one of the startup's Kramer Levin lawyers has been reprimanded by three different judges.
Ohio Teacher Placed on Leave After Sex Tape Was AirDropped to 200 Students (VladTV) A Cleveland schoolteacher is under fire after she accidentally AirDropped her sex tape to roughly 200 students.
