Dateline Moscow, Kyiv, Minsk, Berlin, Brussels, London, Hew York, and Washington: negotiations, cyberoperations, and a stalled column.
Ukraine at D+5: Sanctions and sieges. (The CyberWire) Russian forces continue their slow attempt to invest Ukraine's two largest cities, as sanctions against Moscow move from failed deterrence to effective punishment, an economic "war of attrition."
Russia pummels Ukraine's No. 2 city and convoy nears Kyiv (AP NEWS) Russian shelling pounded the central square in Ukraine's second-largest city and other civilian targets Tuesday and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital — as Ukraine’s embattled president accused Moscow of resorting to terror tactics to press Europe’s largest ground war in generations.
Russian column bears down on Kyiv, raising fear for civilians (Reuters) A Russian armoured column bore down on Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Tuesday and invasion forces fired rocket barrages into the centre of the country's second largest city, on the sixth day of Russia's assault on its western neighbour.
How Russia's vast military convoy was ambushed on the road to Kyiv (The Telegraph) Invaders' push towards the capital halted after column is hit by Ukrainian artillery and drone strikes
Frustrated Putin may order escalation of violence in Ukraine, U.S. officials say (NBC News) The U.S. has solid intelligence that Putin is directing unusual bursts of anger at people in his inner circle over the state of the military campaign, officials said.
Vladimir Putin accused of war crimes as Ukrainian cities are shelled (The Telegraph) Cluster bombs allegedly used against Kharkiv, while six-year-old girl dies in doctors’ arms as children fall victim
EU decries potential Russian nuclear weapons deployment after Belarus referendum (Defense News) Lukashenko’s regime has long depended economically and militarily on the Kremlin’s support.
What to know about Putin’s nuclear order (Washington Post) Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered nuclear forces on alert Sunday, adding a complicated and concerning dimension to the widening conflict in Ukraine.
Initial talks between Russia and Ukraine yield no resolution. (New York Times) Russia’s delegation leader said the next meeting would take place once more along the Ukraine-Belarus border in the “coming days.”
Russian Rocket Barrage Kills Civilians as First Talks Show No Progress (New York Times) The deadly rocket assault on a residential area of Ukraine’s second-largest city signaled an escalation of Russian tactics, and overshadowed efforts at diplomacy.
Ukraine Fighting Overshadows Chance of Russia Talks’ Success (Bloomberg) Both sides agree to second set of talks even as fighting rages. Russia suffers market seizure as ruble plunges on sanctions.
After a Fumbled Start, Russian Forces Hit Harder in Ukraine (New York Times) After days of miscalculation about Ukraine’s resolve to fight, Russian forces are turning toward an old pattern of opening fire on cities and mounting sieges.
Russian forces shell Ukraine's No. 2 city and menace Kyiv (AP NEWS) Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second-largest city on Monday, rocking a residential neighborhood, and closed in on the capital, Kyiv, in a 40-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles, as talks aimed at stopping the fighting yielded only an agreement to keep talking.
In Kharkiv, a Desperate Choice: Stay or Go? (Foreign Policy) As Russian forces continue their assault, people in Ukraine face terrifying uncertainty.
Snake Island Ukrainians found alive, taken as Russian prisoners (Military Times) The Ukrainian Navy confirmed Sunday that the 13 border guards were alive, despite initial reporting the group had heroically made the ultimate sacrifice.
Belarus may be about to send its troops into Ukraine, US official says (the Guardian) Move could happen this week as official says Minsk is ‘now an extension of the Kremlin’
No 'noticeable' changes to Russian nuclear posture: US official (Breaking Defense) Russia's advance was slowed by strong resistance by Ukraine, but US fears that could cause Russia to be more aggressive in its quest for Kyiv.
No military bases in ex-Soviet countries, Russia tells West (Reuters) The West must not build military facilities in any countries of the former Soviet Union, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
Google Maps temporarily disables live traffic data in Ukraine (Axios) It took the action to help ensure the safety of Ukrainian communities, a spokesperson said.
Why Turkey calling it 'war' in Ukraine matters for the Black Sea (Breaking Defense) Experts say Turkey, a NATO member, is in a difficult position, caught between supporting a friend in Ukraine, but also avoiding escalating tension with Russia.
The invasion of Ukraine started online long before troops marched on Kyiv (The Record by Recorded Future) Tech reporter Daryna Antoniuk was displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and is now covering it online.
How Russia took over the Internet in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine (Data Center Dynamics) What happened in 2014, and what happens when RuNet comes to Ukraine
Russia vs Ukraine - The War in Cyberspace (SecurityWeek) Russian troops have launched a major assault on Ukraine and while their forces battle in the physical world for control over various cities and regions, a battle is also taking place in cyberspace.
The dire predictions about a Russian cyber onslaught haven’t come true in Ukraine. At least not yet. (Washington Post) For more than a decade, military commanders and outside experts have laid out blueprints for how cyberwar would unfold: military and civilian networks would be knocked offline, cutting-edge software would sabotage power plants, and whole populations would be unable to get money, gas or refrigerated food.
A Free-for-All But No Crippling Cyberattacks in Ukraine War (SecurityWeek) In the early days of the war in Ukraine, Russia's ability to create mayhem through malware hasn’t had much of a noticeable impact
We've seen destructive attacks in Ukraine masquerading as ransomware, says Mandiant CEO (CNBC) Kevin Mandia, Mandiant CEO, joins 'Closing Bell' to discuss what Mandiant is seeing in terms of cyber hostility, what sectors are most vulnerable to cyber attacks and whether companies are preemptively spending on cybersecurity in preparation for an attack from Russia.
Recorded Future: Russia may retaliate with cyber attacks (SearchSecurity) Recorded Future analysts discussed potential threats and possible retaliatory cyber attacks from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Hybrid wars increase the need for cyber defences (Investors' Chronicle) Cyber attacks from Russia have been persistent for years but the war in the Ukraine has put CEOs on alert
As the Ukrainian crisis escalates, here are seven ways security leaders can take action (SC Magazine) Lean on threat intelligence and understand the true threats of Russian cyberattacks to the organization, but keep the response in context because a real human tragedy is unfolding in Eastern Europe.
Ottawa warns Canadian businesses of increased threat of Russian cyberattacks (The Globe and Mail) Communications Security Establishment said it is monitoring threats directed at infrastructure networks and has been issuing bulletins or public advisories
U.S. Companies Should Prepare for Putin’s 'Gangster Diplomacy' As Risk of Russian Cyberattacks Grows (Time) Former CISA director Chris Krebs explains why U.S. companies are facing unprecedented cyberattack risk, and what business leaders should do to to protect themselves.
CISA, FBI Issue Warnings on WhisperGate, HermeticWiper Attacks (SecurityWeek) The two U.S. agencies warn that both malware families were used in destructive cyberattacks targeting organizations in Ukraine.
Anonymous Hacker Group Targets Russian State Media (SecurityWeek) Hacker group Anonymous claimed responsibility on for disrupting the work of websites of pro-Kremlin Russian media in protest of the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Volunteer ‘IT Army’ Is Hacking in Uncharted Territory (Wired) The country has enlisted thousands of cybersecurity professionals in the war effort against Russia.
After Conti backs war, ransomware gangs realize peril of patriotism amid infighting (SC Magazine) Ransomware is actually a complex global economy. Different groups design ransomware and license that ransomware for use in attacks, with the latter often using many different vendors of the former. So while the designers of Conti may be Russian, the affiliate groups using Conti may include Ukrainians. And like in any business, there is peril in angering the consumer.
A ransomware group paid the price for backing Russia (The Verge) Is proximity to the Putin regime becoming a liability?
Conti Group Suffers Massive Data Breach (Infosecurity Magazine) Researchers leak internal messages after geopolitical misstep
Conti ransomware gang’s internal chats leaked online after declaring support for Russian invasion (TechCrunch) The group was responsible for downing the Irish healthcare system in 2021.
Microsoft says it informed the Ukrainian government about cyberattacks (CNBC) It's not immediately clear who has been attacking civilian and military targets in Ukraine, although Russia has been the main military aggressor in recent days.
Microsoft: Russia invasion of Ukraine ‘unlawful, unjustified (Register) Windows giant says it detected 'destructive cyberattacks', DDoS malware aimed at now occupied nation
Digital technology and the war in Ukraine (Microsoft) 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.
As Tanks Rolled Into Ukraine, So Did Malware. Then Microsoft Entered the War. (New York Times) After years of talks about the need for public-private partnerships to combat cyberattacks, the war in Ukraine is stress-testing the system.
Bitdefender and Romania National Cyber Security Directorate Expand Collaboration to Aid Ukraine and NATO Allies (PR Newswire) Bitdefender, a global cybersecurity leader, today announced it has expanded its collaboration with Romania's National Cyber Security...
As the War in Ukraine Spirals, Vectra AI Announces Free Cybersecurity Services (PR Newswire) Vectra AI, a leader in AI-driven threat detection and response for hybrid and multi-cloud enterprises, today responded to the expanding...
CrowdStrike Protects from Wiper Malware Used in Ukraine Attacks (CrowdStrike) The CrowdStrike Falcon platform provides continuous protection from the wiper-style malware used to target Ukraine by offering real-time visibility across workloads.
#ShieldsUp – Now is the time to double‑check cybersecurity processes and operations (WeLiveSecurity) As the conflict in Ukraine heightens the risk of cyberattacks globally, what can organizations do to improve their resiliency?
In response to Russia threat, U.S. cybersecurity firms offer free services, data, threat intel (CyberScoop) Free upgrades and other cybersecurity services are on the table for organizations in Ukraine and elsewhere.
U.N. General Assembly set to isolate Russia over Ukraine invasion (Reuters) The 193-member United Nations General Assembly began meeting on the crisis in Ukraine on Monday ahead of a vote this week to isolate Russia by deploring its "aggression against Ukraine" and demanding Russian troops stop fighting and withdraw.
Russia defends invasion during emergency UN General Assembly (Deutsche Welle) A clear majority of UN member states are expected to vote to condemn Russia's actions as Moscow becomes increasingly isolated internationally.
U.N. General Assembly emergency session hears overwhelming global support for Ukraine (CBS News) At the first meeting of its kind in 40 years, Switzerland said it will impose the same sanctions as the European Union.
At rare UN session, Russia is pressed to stop war in Ukraine (AP NEWS) Ambassadors from dozens of countries on Monday backed a proposal demanding that Russia halt its attack on Ukraine, as the U.N. General Assembly held a rare emergency session during a day of frenzied and sometimes fractious diplomacy surrounding the five-day-old war.
General Assembly holds emergency special session on Ukraine (UN News) As fighting escalates in Ukraine, UN Member States met on Monday for a rare emergency special session of the General Assembly to discuss the crisis.
Emergency Special Session on Ukraine (United Nations General Assembly, President of the 76th Session) xcellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
We are all gravely concerned about the fast-deteriorating situation and ongoing military action in Ukraine.
Russia Tries to Terrorize Ukraine With Images of Chechen Soldiers (Foreign Policy) Moscow is exploiting stereotypes of Chechen brutality.
Big tech grapples with Russian state media, propaganda (AP NEWS) As Russia's war in Ukraine plays out for the world on social media, big tech platforms are moving to restrict Russian state media from using their platforms to spread propaganda and misinformation.
Facebook, Twitter remove disinformation accounts targeting Ukrainians (NBC News) The larger of the two disinformation groups operated in Russia, as well as the Russian-dominated Donbas and Crimea regions of Ukraine.
Facebook cuts off Russian disinformation campaign in Ukraine (Washington Post) The company is debating how to handle state-run outlets like Sputnik and RT.
Facebook parent Meta to restrict Russian state media across EU (Axios) "Given the exceptional nature of the current situation, we will be restricting access to RT and Sputnik."
Twitter will mark tweets with links to Russian state-backed media and limit their reach (TechCrunch) Twitter announced on Monday new measures to prevent disinformation tied to the Russian government from spreading in light of the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The company will begin adding labels to tweets containing links from Russian state-linked media outlets noting their affiliat…
Netflix Won’t Add Russian Broadcasters to Service, Defying New Regulation (Wall Street Journal) The streaming giant’s decision defies a new rule in Russia that would require Netflix to carry several state-run broadcasters.
Russian Hybrid War Report: Russia retaliates against anti-war celebrities as social platforms crack down on Russian media (Atlantic Council) Meta, Patreon, and Twitter are taking action against Russian accounts, while Russian celebrities are facing pushback for their views, according to the Council's open-source researchers.
Putin Nuclear Threat Makes World Ask Again If He’s Bluffing (Bloomberg) Changes of status made amid Russian setbacks in Ukraine. Lack of clarity over meaning of ‘special regime’ for deterrent.
Putin Seems to Sideline Advisers on Ukraine, Taking a Political Risk (New York Times) Authoritarian leaders rely on elite support to govern. Jeopardizing those relationships in wartime could be risky, experts say.
Reading Putin: Unbalanced or cagily preying on West's fears? (AP NEWS) For two decades, Vladimir Putin has struck rivals as reckless, impulsive. But his behavior in ordering an invasion of Ukraine — and now putting Russia's nuclear forces on high alert — has some in the West questioning whether the Russian president has become dangerously unstable.
A few members of the Russian Parliament speak out against the war. (New York Times) In a rare show of dissent, three deputies of the State Duma have expressed regret about the attack.
Live Updates: Explosion Shakes Ukraine’s Second-Largest City (New York Times) Video showed what appeared to be a rocket striking directly in front of an administrative building in Kharkiv, a day after Russian forces shelled the city. An unknown number of people were killed and wounded, the city’s mayor said.
Ukraine War: Vladimir Putin has gambled everything and lost (Atlantic Council) Putin has gambled and lost. Ukrainians will suffer terribly from his criminal invasion, but they will survive and emerge as a strong, modern nation. Putin faces a far more uncertain future following this senseless war.
Putin has fatally underestimated Ukrainians (Atlantic Council) Vladimir Putin made a grave miscalculation when he invaded Ukraine. The Russian ruler hoped to decapitate the Ukrainian state and install a new regime, but is now at war with the entire 40 million Ukrainian nation.
Why Vladimir Putin has already lost this war (the Guardian) The Russians may yet conquer Ukraine. But Ukrainians have shown that they will not let them hold it, says historian and author Yuval Noah Harari
Ukraine has finally prompted the West to shift course on Putin (Atlantic Council) The Zelenskyy delegation’s chance to succeed in talks at the Belarus border with a Russian delegation would be far greater if Putin were confident that the West has Ukraine’s back.
How Volodymyr Zelensky trumped the Russian cyber troll factory (The Telegraph) Ukraine's president has seen his side gain the upper hand on a very modern battlefield, but how long will it last?
Ukrainian support for President Zelensky skyrockets amid Russian invasion (Newsweek) Zelensky's resistance to Putin's attempts to take over Ukraine and his calls for people to rise up and fight for their country appears to be a popular strategy.
China and Russia's Friendship in Ukraine Is Without Benefits (Foreign Policy) Will Russia’s invasion make or break the relationship between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin?
‘They were fooled by Putin’: Chinese historians speak out against Russian invasion (the Guardian) An open letter written by five historians denounced the war. They hope to persuade Beijing to make their stance clearer
Putin Accidentally Started a Revolution in Germany (Foreign Policy) The invasion of Ukraine is triggering a dramatic reversal of Berlin’s grand strategy.
Experts React: What’s behind Germany’s stunning foreign-policy shift? (Atlantic Council) Our Europe Center experts weigh in on Germany’s about-face on military spending, arming Ukraine, and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
Exclusive: British Army warns its soldiers not to go rogue and travel to Ukraine (The Telegraph) Plus: Veterans looking to take up arms in Ukraine flock to Folkestone kit store to pick up last-minute equipment
Former NATO Commander: ‘Is the West Going to Tolerate Russia Doing This to Ukraine?’ (Foreign Policy) Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove on NATO’s response, calls for a no-fly zone, and Putin’s state of mind.
Ukraine to sell 'war bonds' to fund armed forces (BBC News) The war-torn country moved to reassure international investors that it will not default on its debt.
Historic sanctions on Russia had roots in emotional appeal from Zelensky (Washington Post) A video call by the Ukrainian wartime leader prompted jaded European leaders to act
One Putin move and behold: West's unity tightens overnight (AP NEWS) Within days, Russian President Vladimir Putin has achieved what remained out of the grasp of the European Union for many decades — to jointly buy and send weapons to a war zone — and restored something that was broken for years — trans-Atlantic unity.
Vladimir Putin has achieved the impossible by invading Ukraine (The Telegraph) Old certainties have been washed away as Europe fights back against the Russian president
The New Russian Sanctions Playbook (Foreign Affairs) Deterrence is out, and economic attrition is in.
Russia says it won't yield to sanctions pressure over Ukraine (Reuters) Western sanctions will never make Russia change its position on Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
SWIFT says it is waiting for names of Russian banks to disconnect (Reuters) SWIFT said on Tuesday it was waiting to see which banks authorities want disconnected from its global financial messaging system as sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine are rolled out.
Russia's Swift Exclusion Could Spur Cyber Attacks. 10 Stocks That Could Benefit. (Barron's) Russia already has launched digital attacks on Ukraine in this conflict. Tough new financial sanctions from the West could spur wider cyber aggression.
The Sanctions Imposed So Far on Russia From the U.S., EU and U.K. (Bloomberg) The U.S., U.K., European Union and Asian nations have ramped up sanctions against Russia in an effort to isolate the country following its invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has retaliated by banning airlines from 36 nations from its airspace and ordering economic counter measures, including restrictions on residents transferring foreign currency abroad.
U.S. Bans Transactions With Russian Central Bank, Wealth Fund (Bloomberg) Moves ‘effectively immobilize’ U.S. held central bank assets. U.S., EU working on list of banks to cut off from SWIFT.
'Putin and his cronies' targeted by new UK sanctions on Russia in Liz Truss statement (The Telegraph) Liz Truss has set out new sanctions targeting "Putin and his cronies" in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week.
Broken Biden sank the West’s efforts to stop Putin invading Ukraine (The Telegraph) The President failed to grasp the meaning of deterrence – the concept that kept us safe during the Cold War’s nuclear standoff
Switzerland says it will freeze Russian assets, setting aside a tradition of neutrality. (New York Times) The decision came amid mounting public anger at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Swiss Ditch Historic Neutrality to Enforce Russia Sanctions (Bloomberg) Government changes policy after weekend of debate, criticism. President Putin, Foreign Minister Lavrov among those targeted.
Ukraine war: sanctions-hit Russian rouble crashes as Zelenskiy speaks of ‘crucial’ 24 hours (the Guardian) Some analysts expect a ‘complete collapse’ in currency amid signs one state-backed bank could fail, while Ukraine president warns key moment has arrived
‘The damage is done’: Russians face economic point of no return (the Guardian) Shoppers and business people express despair and disillusion as sanctions cause run on rouble
U.S., European allies freeze ‘Putin’s war chest’ as Russia careens toward economic crisis (Washington Post) The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday morning released details of its new economic restrictions against Moscow
Russia’s Ultra-Rich Count Cost of $83 Billion Wealth Wipeout (Bloomberg) Global sanctions damage Russia’s economy and financial markets. EU freezes assets, bans travel for the country’s tycoons.
Russian billionaire Fridman to contest 'groundless' EU sanctions (Reuters) After some of Russia's richest oligarchs were cut out the global financial system, billionaires Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven vowed to contest European Union sanctions imposed in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.
Exclusive: Nord Stream 2 owner considers insolvency after sanctions (Reuters) The Swiss-based company which built the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany is considering filing for insolvency, two sources familiar with the situation said, as it attempts to settle claims ahead of a U.S. sanction deadline for other entities to stop dealings with it.
Bank of Russia Reassures on Debt After Putin’s Sanctions Gambit (Bloomberg) Ban covers foreign-exchange transfers abroad by residents. Russia retaliating for sweeping sanctions imposed over Ukraine.
SWIFT Russian Ban Could Force Fed to Step In, Credit Suisse Says (Bloomberg) Ukraine war has led to sanctions on Russia’s biggest banks. EU approves ban on transactions with Russian central bank.
Russians are scrambling to withdraw US dollars at ATMs as the ruble hits a record low on sweeping Western sanctions (Business Insider) The ruble plunged nearly 30% against the US dollar on Monday to a fresh record low amid Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Crypto Donations to Ukraine Jump to $20M (CoinDesk) FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and Chain.com CEO Deepak Thapliyal have contributed.
Crypto Exchanges Refuse to Freeze All Russian Accounts (Vice) Binance, the world's largest exchange, said "unilaterally" banning users "would fly in the face of the reason why crypto exists."
The Kremlin’s Gas Wars (Foreign Affairs) How Europe can protect itself from Russian blackmail.
Russia seeks to halt investor stampede as sanctions hammer economy (Reuters) Russia said it was placing temporary curbs on foreigners seeking to exit Russian assets on Tuesday, putting the brakes on an accelerating investor exodus driven by crippling Western sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia to spend up to $10 bln from rainy-day fund on buying Russian shares, source says (Reuters) The Russian government has ordered the finance ministry to channel up to 1 trillion roubles ($10.3 billion) from the National Wealth Fund to buy shares in Russian companies, a source close to the government told Reuters on Tuesday.
The List of Foreign Companies Pulling Out of Russia Keeps Growing (Bloomberg) What was an enticing new market 30 years ago is now spurned.
Law firms cut Russian client ties as international sanctions spread (Reuters) Major international law firms with Russia offices, including White & Case, Baker McKenzie and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, are scrambling to respond this week as an intensifying sanctions web puts some clients off limits and threatens their business in Moscow.
These 10 Mutual Funds Have the Most Exposure to Russia (Bloomberg) They may not have Russia in their name, but a number of popular mutual funds have significant exposure to the country, with one nearing 17% of assets.
Maersk the latest carrier to suspend new bookings to and from Russia (The Loadstar) Maersk told The Loadstar today it would join other shipping lines and suspend new bookings to and from Russia. A spokesperson said the ban would begin “possibly today, possibly tomorrow”, but would depend on arranging plans for shipments already booked which were not in breach of EU sanctions against Russia. “We are also keen to stress that there will be three exceptions – food, medical and humanitarian supplies,” added the spokesperson. “The exceptions underline ...
Exxon Faces Stark Choice After Rivals BP, Shell Abandon Russia (Bloomberg) U.S. oil giant is partner with Rosneft in Russia’s Far East. Shell quit Sakhalin-2 partnership citing “military aggression.”
The world's largest sovereign wealth fund says it'll dump its Russian assets over the Ukraine invasion (Business Insider) The Norges Bank Investment Management operates a $1.3 trillion fund. It holds shares in about 47 Russian companies and government bonds.
Russia default 'extremely likely' if Ukraine crisis worsens, banking lobby says (Reuters) Russia is very likely to default on foreign debt and its economy will suffer a double digit contraction this year after the West launched sanctions unprecedented in scale and coordination, a global banking industry lobby group said on Monday.
Hollywood halts releases in Russia, including 'The Batman' (AP NEWS) Warner Bros. is halting the release of “The Batman” in Russia, just days before it was to open in theaters there, as Hollywood moved to cease distribution plans in the country following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
What Happened on Day 5 of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine (New York Times) President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called for an international tribunal to investigate Russia for war crimes. Delegations from Kyiv and Moscow failed to make progress in Belarus.
Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
New Chinese hacking tool found, spurring U.S. warning to allies (Reuters) Security researchers with U.S. cybersecurity firm Symantec said they have discovered a “highly sophisticated” Chinese hacking tool that has been able to escape public attention for more than a decade.
Symantec: Super-Stealthy 'Daxin' Backdoor Linked to Chinese Threat Actor (SecurityWeek) Threat hunters at Symantec share notes on Daxin, “the most advanced piece of malware Symantec researchers have seen used by a China-linked actor.”
Daxin: Stealthy Backdoor Designed for Attacks Against Hardened Networks (Symantec Enterprise) Espionage tool is the most advanced piece of malware Symantec researchers have seen from China-linked actors.
Iranian Hackers Using New Spying Malware That Abuses Telegram Messenger API (The Hacker News) Iranian Hackers Using New Malware for Spying That Abuses Telegram Messenger API
Cyberattacks & Critical Infrastructure (Constella) From an allegedly Russian-led operation to Vodafone's supposed failure to protect employees' credentials. What can be learned?
New Registration Bomb Email Attack Distracts Victims of Financial Fraud (BlackCloak) BlackCloak recently discovered a registration bomb email attack targeting Walmart.com users intended to hide financial fraud.
BlackCat ransomware (AT&T) This blog was jointly written with Santiago Cortes.
Executive summary
AT&T Alien Labs™ is writing this report about recently created ransomware malware dubbed BlackCat which was used in a January 2022 campaign against two international oil companies headquartered in Germany, Oiltanking and Mabanaft. The attack had little impact on end customers, but it does serve to remind the cybersecurity community of the potential for threat actors to continue attacks against critical infras
Instagram scammers as busy as ever: passwords and 2FA codes at risk (Naked Security) Instagram scams don’t seem to be dying out – we’re seeing more variety and trickiness than ever…
100 Million Samsung Galaxy Phones Affected with Flawed Hardware Encryption Feature (The Hacker News) Researchers detail severe flaws in hardware-backed encryption on nearly 100 million Android-based Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, S10, S20 and S21 smartphones.
Why is the healthcare industry so vulnerable to ransomware? (IT PRO) Hospitals and other healthcare institutions must invest in cutting-edge backup solutions to protect themselves and their patients’ data
KnowBe4 Research: Half of Employees Use Unauthorized File Services to Complete Work (GlobeNewswire News Room) New research report from KnowBe4 on the realities of shadow IT reveals shocking findings...
Insurance giant AON hit by a cyberattack over the weekend (BleepingComputer) Professional services and insurance giant AON has suffered a cyberattack that impacted a "limited" number of systems.
Swedish Security Solutions Provider Axis Hit by Cyberattack (SecurityWeek) Axis, a Sweden-based Canon subsidiary that specializes in cameras and other physical security solutions, has been hit by a cyberattack that disrupted operations.
Data Breach Alert: St. Augustine College (JD Supra) Recently, St. Augustine College confirmed that the school experienced a data breach resulting in the names and Social Security numbers of certain...
Houston Health Department Suffers Healthcare Data Breach (Health IT Security) The Houston Health Department, EPIC Pharmacy Network, and Alliance Physical Therapy Group began notifying patients of healthcare data breaches recently.
Trends
Deep Instinct 2022 Threat Landscape Report Finds 125% Increase in Threat Types and Novel Evasion Techniques (Business Wire) Deep Instinct, the first company to apply end-to-end deep learning to cybersecurity, today unveiled findings from its bi-annual Threat Landscape Repor
Survey: Security Leaders are Confident, but Ransomware Attacks Tell a Different Story (ExtraHop) Get the details on a survey of IT decision makers from four countries, the confidence in overall security, and the startling frequency of ransomware attacks.
OPSWAT's 2022 State of Malware Analysis Report (OPSWAT) New – State of Malware Analysis Report. Exclusive findings with industry statistics, market trends, and best practices to address cyber threats.
Cyberspace and intelligence: Threats to intelligence, business and personal data will increase in 2022 (Modern Diplomacy) In 2021 cyberthreat actors around the world increased the pressure on security issues, and it is no exaggeration to say that 2022 could be the most challenging year ever. With a view to helping security teams better face challenges, security vendor ZeroFox has recently released the 2022 Threat Intelligence Forecast report, which provides predictive analysis […]
Cyber criminals not fussy when choosing their next victim (SecurityBrief Asia) Small-to-medium-sized companies with an online presence are just as at risk as large, multinational corporations and Government departments.
Products, Services, and Solutions
Invicti Security Adds Software Composition Analysis to Its Industry- Leading AppSec Platform (PR Newswire) With headline-grabbing vulnerabilities such as Log4Shell drawing attention to the risks presented by open-source components, organizations...
Nexum, Inc. Announces Security Automation Partnership with Swimlane (Nexum, Inc.) Nexum, Inc., a leader in networking and cybersecurity solutions, announced today the addition of Swimlane, a top provider of low-code security automation, to the company’s growing list of exceptional technology and cybersecurity partners.
CybeReady Adaptive Training Platform Levels Up Corporate Security Posture in Midst of the Great Resignation (AP NEWS) CybeReady, provider of the first adaptive cybersecurity training platform, today unveiled major enhancements to its Adaptive Training Platform as global workforces experience churn as a result of pandemic-related security issues and The Great Resignation. The new capabilities increase the scope of impact on remote work environments and ensure consistent security training for new employees.
Absolute Software Completes SOC 2 Type 1 Certification for NetMotion Platform (Absolute) Absolute is the leading visibility and control platform that gives you tamper-proof protection for all of your devices, data and applications. With the Absolute Platform, you get the power of asset intelligence, continuous compliance and endpoint hygiene.
Infosec products of the month: February 2022 (Help Net Security) The featured infosec products this month are from: Arista Networks, Blueshift Cybersecurity, Bugcrowd, Cato Networks, Cofense, and more.
Cloud Extended Detection and Response (XDR) for Threat Detection and Response (Anomali) Anomali, a leader in intelligence-driven extended detection and response (XDR) cybersecurity solutions, today announced the availability of its Cloud-Native XDR solution. Built on The Anomali Platform, it provides customers with a new dimension of visibility across all security telemetry from endpoints to the public cloud, providing precision detection and optimized response capabilities that extends across their entire security infrastructure.
Technologies, Techniques, and Standards
How to improve signal-to-noise ratio to reduce alert fatigue (IronNet) The next frontier in cyber threat detection automatically correlates signature and behavioral detections with relatively low false positives.
Five pointers for choosing a Threat Intelligence Platform (SecurityBrief Australia) As the new financial year looms, companies are starting to identify the key strategic focus areas for the year ahead and the technology investments needed to deliver them.
Design and Innovation
Can AI’s Machine Learning Process Actually be Unbiased? (The Debrief) AI's machine learning process has shown biases due to faulty training data. New research from MIT suggests these biases can be overcome.
Legislation, Policy, and Regulation
Pakistan: Repeal Amendment to Draconian Cyber Law (Human Rights Watch) The Pakistan government’s amendment to its cybercrimes act is the latest in a concerted campaign to restrict freedom of expression and stifle dissent, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today.
Illegal SIM cards 'integral' to scams (Bangkok Post) Illegally used mobile phone SIM cards and proxy bank accounts are vital jigsaw pieces in the increasingly complex businesses that are online fraud and gambling, police said.
Grassley Pushes DOJ to Reconsider Plans to Cancel China Crackdown Amid Persistent Threats (U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa) Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is calling on the Justice Department to reconsider its announced plans to cancel its China Initiative, despite the continued barrage of espionage and intellectual property theft originating from the Chinese Communist Party. The China Initiative was established during the Trump administration to prioritize investigations of national security threats from China, which continues to be the top source of all espionage investigations.
Cyber terror, ‘deepfake’ bills pass final committees (Florida Politics) The legislation targets 'deepfakes,' and stiffens penalties for revenge porn and other sex-related crimes.
N.Y. financial agency warns Ukraine invasion elevates cyber risk (Business Insurance) Russia’s Ukraine invasion significantly elevates cyber risk for the U.S. financial sector, which should fully comply with the New York State Department of Financial Services’ cybersecurity regulations, the department said in a warning issued last week.
Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement
Telegram bans disinformation channels to avoid suspension in Brazil (ZDNet) The move has impacted some of the communication platforms operated by the alleged leader of a digital militia financing scheme.
Apple hit with 6th antitrust fine over Dutch dating apps (TechCrunch) Apple still hasn’t complied with a Dutch antitrust order to allow local dating apps to have the option to use third party payment tech to sell digital content to their app users. In a statement today, the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Market (ACM) said it has levied a sixth fine (of €5M…
Defense researchers lack consistent cybersecurity safeguards, IG finds (FCW) Without an enforceable singular cybersecurity standard, research and academic institutions that develop military technology for the Pentagon could be at increased risk.
NSO sues Calcalist for slander (Globes) The lawsuit arises from Calcalist's reporting of the use of NSO spyware by the Israel Police. NSO alleges motives "far removed from journalism".
