Dateline Moscow, Kyiv, Brussels, Paris, London, and Washington: Redressing a stalled invasion with firepower (and quiet cyber ops)?
Ukraine at D+10: Stalled advances, intense fires, and cyber ops. (The CyberWire) Russia's advance remains largely stalled; both Russia and Ukraine turn to auxiliaries in the cyber phase of Russia's hybrid war of aggression.
Russian forces attack airfields in Ukraine as Zelensky pleads for fighter jets (Washington Post) Alleged cease-fire violations by Russia block evacuation of Ukrainian civilians
What Happened on Day 11 of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine (New York Times) Russian shelling imperiled evacuation efforts, with at least three civilians killed in an attack outside Kyiv. Ukrainian forces held off, for the moment, a Russian advance on a key southern city.
Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskiy vows to ‘punish atrocities’ as family dies trying to evacuate Irpin – live (the Guardian) Hopes of establishing a humanitarian corridor out of besieged city of Mariupol dashed for second day running
Stakes Rise as Putin Says His War in Ukraine Will Continue (Bloomberg) For Ukrainian army and civilians ‘worst is yet to come’. Russian forces given three weeks before major resupply needed.
Ukraine decries ‘immoral’ Kremlin offer of civilian corridors to Russia or Belarus (the Guardian) Some routes would take those fleeing war to Belarus or Russia, whose forces are continuing to pound cities across Ukraine
Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskiy vows to ‘punish atrocities’ as family dies trying to evacuate Irpin – live (the Guardian) Hopes of establishing a humanitarian corridor out of besieged city of Mariupol dashed for second day running
Proud Band of Ukrainian Troops Holds Russian Assault at Bay — for Now (New York Times) “Few expected such strength from our people,” said a Ukrainian colonel whose soldiers have repelled a Russian attack on the port city of Mykolaiv for three days.
On the road out of Irpin, a shell exploded like a thunderbolt – the family didn’t stand a chance (The Telegraph) Ever since Russian onslaught began, the city has shaken to the sounds of gunfire as Ukrainian troops have done their best to defend it
Putin Reaches for the Syria Playbook as Ukraine Invasion Stalls (Foreign Policy) Cluster bombs, leveled apartments, and sieges are Russia’s recipe for war.
Putin says Ukraine's future in doubt as cease-fires collapse (AP NEWS) Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and likened the West's sanctions on Russia to “declaring war,” while a promised cease-fire in the besieged port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror.
After temporary cease-fires break down, Putin threatens Ukraine’s government (Washington Post) Residents flee cities as officials warn of a humanitarian catastrophe
After Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Moldova worries it might be next (Washington Post) There have been no air raid sirens in Moldova, no explosions and no casualties, but already some of the turbulence and anxiety of war is starting to build.
Stunned by Putin’s war, nations rewrite their playbooks on defense (Defense News) With no end game in sight for the conflict, governments on both sides of the Atlantic are beginning to settle in for the long haul.
How the US can beat Russia in Ukraine without firing a shot (Task & Purpose) Invading a country is one thing, occupying it is quite another, and barring escalation, time is on the side of the Ukrainian resistance.
Intensifying fighting in Ukraine raises the risk of a close encounter between US and Russian forces (Business Insider) Both sides indicate they want to avoid escalation, but history is full of "errors and accidents degenerating into something wider," one expert said.
For the Glorious Ukrainian Resistance (Small Wars Journal) The OSS Society offers support to the Ukrainian resistance and hopes all freedom loving people around the world will do what they can to help defend a free and democratic Ukraine.
U.S. and allies quietly prepare for a Ukrainian government-in-exile and a long insurgency (Washington Post) The Ukrainian military has mounted an unexpectedly fierce defense against invading Russian forces, which have been dogged by logistical problems and flagging morale. But the war is barely two weeks old, and in Washington and European capitals, officials anticipate that the Russian military will reverse its early losses, setting the stage for a long, bloody insurgency.
Ukraine’s military adapts tactics after enduring Russia’s initial invasion (Washington Post) An outgunned but resilient Ukrainian military is adopting a two-prong strategy in the face of a flawed but fierce Russian assault, relying on hit-and-run tactics and the fortification of major cities as President Vladimir Putin’s campaign enters a more perilous phase, military experts said.
Russian commanders killed after taking risks amid frustration at stalled advance (The Telegraph) Meanwhile, former head of British Army says cities reduced to rubble will provide ideal defensive positions for 'bloody' guerrilla warfare
‘We’ll Keep Watching for the Russians’ (Foreign Policy) Truck drivers, welders, and other untrained civilians are taking up arms as week two of Russia’s invasion begins.
Live Updates: Police Detain Thousands at Antiwar Protests Across Russia (New York Times) At least three family members, including two children, are killed in an attack outside of Kyiv as concern grows that civilians are being targeted in Ukraine. An airport in western Ukraine also comes under attack.
Russia arrests over 4,000 for anti-war protest, most since Ukraine war began (Newsweek) Sunday's detainee count marks the highest in the country in recent days, with 4,366 people arrested across 55 Russian cities.
Molotov Cocktails in winter: What 1939 Finland tells us about Ukraine today (Atlantic Council) But while Ukrainians may be prepping Molotov Cocktails, this winter war is already different.
Live updates: Men line up to join Ukrainian army (AP NEWS) The latest developments on the Russia-Ukraine war : KYIV, Ukraine — Hundreds of men have been lining up in Kyiv to join the Ukrainian army. An order from Ukraine’s government prohibited men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country to keep them available for military conscription.
‘I Just Can’t Stand By’: American Veterans Join the Fight in Ukraine (New York Times) All across the country, small groups of military veterans are hungry for what they see as a righteous fight to defend freedom against an autocratic aggressor.
Ukrainian Student Puts Degree on Hold to 'Kill as Many Russians' as She Can (Newsweek) As more Ukrainian citizens join their president's call to fight off Russia's invading forces, one student says she has put her college degree on hold in order to "to save my country, to save my friends, to save my family, to save my little sister."
As war loomed, U.S. armed Ukraine to hit Russian aircraft, tanks and prep for urban combat, declassified shipment list shows (Washington Post) The United States drastically enhanced its shipments of lethal military aid and protective equipment to Ukraine as the prospect of a Russian invasion became more apparent and then a reality, according to a declassified accounting of transfers and sales reviewed by The Washington Post.
How the US is helping Ukraine fight Russia (TheHill) The U.S. has contributed more than $1 billion to help Ukraine’s military over the past year and has pledged more aid as Russia’s weeklong war against the country continues.
Around-the-clock NATO air patrols fly to keep Russia at bay (Air Force Times) NATO has nearly doubled the usual number of military jets on alert across Europe.
Joe Manchin wants Ukraine no-fly zone as option after Zelensky warning (Newsweek) "I would take nothing off the table," the West Virginia Democrat said on Sunday.
Mariupol evacuation postponed as Russia accused of breaking ceasefire (the Guardian) City council asks residents to return to shelters and wait for further information
Mariupol Diary: Scenes of despair, resolve in Ukraine city (AP NEWS) A man dashes into a hospital with a desperately wounded toddler in his arms, the child's mother on his heels. Doctors use smartphone torches to examine patients’ wounds. New mothers nestle infants in makeshift basement bomb shelters.
There Could Be 10 Million Ukrainians Fleeing Putin’s Bombs (Foreign Policy) Europe has opened its borders to the continent’s biggest exodus of refugees since 1945.
Blinken hears harrowing tales from refugees fleeing Ukraine (AP NEWS) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday visited a welcome center set up by Polish authorities in what once was a shopping mall in Korczowa, close to the border with Ukraine, where roughly 3,000 refugees are taking shelter after the Russian invasion of their homeland.
Ukraine envoy to U.N. Security Council: "Act now or it might be too late" (Newsweek) Sergiy Kyslytsya echoed President Volodymyr Zelensky's claims that Russia's Thursday attack on a nuclear power plant was an act of "nuclear terrorism."
Russia Crisis Military Assessment: Why did Russia's invasion stumble? (Atlantic Council) Russian ground forces have become bogged down—but the situation is still perilous.
Opinion: Putin misjudged his adversary and squandered his military advantages (Washington Post) As Gen. Mark A. Milley visits Europe to assess the first week of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the most obvious lesson is that no military operation ever goes according to plan. Like so many leaders through history, Russian President Vladimir Putin is discovering that he badly misjudged his adversary and squandered some of his advantages.
Biden's bold gamble might just save Ukraine | Opinion (Newsweek) A bold decision by the Biden administration to share intelligence information regarding Russian invasion plans with the world is already paying off.
Attack on Ukrainian nuclear plant triggers worldwide alarm (AP NEWS) Russian troops Friday seized the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe after a middle-of-the-night attack that set it on fire and briefly raised worldwide fears of a catastrophe in the most chilling turn yet in Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine Nuclear Talks at Chernobyl Pitched Amid Russia Offensive (Bloomberg) IAEA Director General offers to mediate talks on safety risk. Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant fell to Russian forces overnight.
Boris Johnson: The West must stop a nuclear disaster in Ukraine (The Telegraph) Prime Minister warns ‘radioactive cloud’ threatens Europe as US declares Nato ready for conflict after Russian attack on power plant
In a cosy chat with air stewardesses, Vladimir Putin hints at deadly nuclear strike on the West (The Telegraph) Decor of teapots and flowers barely masked dark insinuation of ‘colossal and catastrophic consequences’ for the world over Ukraine crisis
Vladimir Putin is using the nuclear card to threaten Nato – but it must not back down (The Telegraph) If security of the alliance is directly threatened by Russia's carelessness, Western leaders will have no choice but to take hardline stance
Don’t test Britain, Ben Wallace warns Vladimir Putin (The Telegraph) Defence Secretary says any ‘existential threat’ will be met with response as he considers extra cash for weapons that halted Russian tanks
Downing Street must ‘dust off Cold War plans and prepare for Russian nuclear strike’ (The Telegraph) Cambridge expert urges politicians to make contingency measures in case Ukraine conflict spills over into all-out nuclear war
Ukraine conflict risks new U.S.-Russia arms race, world closer to nuclear war (Newsweek) "We are at a significantly escalated risk of nuclear use," Nuclear Threat Initiative President Joan Rohlfing told Newsweek.
To decipher Putin's nuclear threats, watch what he does—not what he says (Atlantic Council) For years, Moscow has made nuclear weapons a centerpiece of its military doctrine. The West must not capitulate.
Ukraine to join NATO cyber defence centre as 'contributing participant' (Reuters) Ukraine will join the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) as a "contributing participant", the NATO-accredited military research institution said in a statement on Friday.
Three reasons Moscow isn't taking down Ukraine's cell networks (POLITICO) Russia has plenty to gain from keeping things running, even if it also benefits Ukraine.
Putin Is Raising an Iron Firewall Around Russia (Bloomberg) An array of Western media companies including YouTube are suddenly harder to reach, making Russia’s version of the web look increasingly like China’s.
'Russia's invasion of Ukraine is set to cause shockwaves throughout the IT channel' (CRN) Adam Simon, global managing director, CONTEXT
Russian War Report: Global crackdown on Russian state-affiliated media continues as Russia blocks Facebook (Atlantic Council) In response to the invasion of Ukraine, governments and corporations have implemented new regulations and policies to mitigate the reach of Russian state-affiliated media within their borders and on their services.
Russia’s social media ban followed by a spike in demand for VPNs (SafetyDetectives) Demand for VPNs spiked to an all-time high in Russia after the government decided to block social media platforms and other websites on Friday, March 4th. Among
Russia says it’s blocking Facebook in alarming new censorship push (The Verge) Russian citizens won’t be able to access Meta’s networks
Russia cracks down on dissenting media, blocks Facebook (AP NEWS) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday intensified a crackdown on media outlets and individuals who fail to hew to the Kremlin line on Russia's war in Ukraine , blocking Facebook and Twitter and signing into law a bill that criminalizes the intentional spreading of what Moscow deems to be “fake” reports.
Facebook And Twitter Have Been Blocked In Russia (BuzzFeed News) Russia’s communications regulator said it blocked Facebook because of “discrimination against Russian media and information resources." Twitter was blocked shortly after.
Vladimir Putin’s doomed bid to eradicate the truth only exposes his own vulnerability (The Telegraph) Modern-day tyrants can’t completely control the flow of information without arousing the suspicion of their populations
The real reason Russia is blocking Facebook (Washington Post) The Kremlin’s crackdown isn’t about the social network. It’s a gambit with a broader aim.
Putin Propaganda Machine Undercut by Social Media Blackout (Bloomberg) Facebook, YouTube learned from prior manipulation campaigns. EU gave companies political cover for aggressive takedowns.
Twitter bans over 100 accounts that pushed #IStandWithPutin (NBC News) Tech companies continue to take action on Russia-linked manipulation, but little of the Kremlin’s messaging is breaking through in the West.
Telegram bans Russian state media after pressure from Europe (POLITICO) Major tech firms have also banned RT from their platforms.
Hacktivists Stoke Pandemonium Amid Russia’s War in Ukraine (Wired) A wave of cyberattacks meant to make a statement and particularly buoy Ukraine could have unintended consequences.
DDoS hacktivism: A highly risky exercise (Avast) The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked a number of hacktivist communities that have begun to develop tools to help their cause. Ensuring your security while using such tools is difficult to achieve, and by participating in these actions, you risk your privacy.
This Ukrainian cyber firm is offering hackers bounties for taking down Russian sites (The Record by Recorded Future) 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.
Ukraine Cyber Official: We Only Attack Military Targets (SecurityWeek) Ukrainian's volunteer army of hackers claims that it is attacking only what it deems Russian military targets
Volunteer Hackers Converge on Ukraine Conflict With No One in Charge (New York Times) The hackers have claimed a number of disruptions over the past week, blurring the lines between amateurs and groups linked to governments.
Ukraine Digital Army Brews Cyberattacks, Intel and Infowar (SecurityWeek) Ukrainian volunteers in Europe's first major war of the internet age are attacking only what they deem military targets, prioritizing government services including the financial sector, Kremlin-controlled media and railways.
Ukraine volunteer ‘hacker’ corps fights Russia with cyberattacks, intel and infowar (Times of Israel) Hackers' actions range from taking down official Russian sites, reporting troop locations, and even offering instructions on assembling Molotov cocktails and basic first aid
Russia shares list of 17,000 IPs allegedly DDoSing Russian orgs (BleepingComputer) The Russian government shared a list of 17,576 IP addresses allegedly used to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting Russian organizations and their networks.
Ukraine's 'IT army' targets Belarus railway network, Russian GPS (Reuters) Ukraine's "IT army" of volunteer hackers announced a new set of targets on Thursday - including the Belarusian railway network and Russia's homegrown satellite-based navigation system, GLONASS.
HawkEye 360 detects GPS interference in Ukraine (SpaceNews) Prior to the Feb. 24 invasion, HawkEye 360 noted increasing GPS interference near Ukraine.
Hackers are being forced to pick sides in the Russia-Ukraine war (KTVH) Hackers are split on who they're supporting, with one group declaring a "cyber war" against Russian government and another declaring full support.
Conti Ransomware Group Diaries, Part I: Evasion (KrebsOnSecurity) A Ukrainian security researcher this week leaked several years of internal chat logs and other sensitive data tied to Conti, an aggressive and ruthless Russian cybercrime group that focuses on deploying its ransomware to companies with more than $100 million…
Conti Ransomware Group Diaries, Part II: The Office (KrebsOnSecurity) Earlier this week, a Ukrainian security researcher leaked almost two years’ worth of internal chat logs from Conti, one of the more rapacious and ruthless ransomware gangs in operation today. Tuesday’s story examined how Conti dealt with its own internal…
Conti Ransomware Group Diaries, Part III: Weaponry (KrebsOnSecurity) Part I of this series examined newly-leaked internal chats from the Conti ransomware group, and how the crime gang dealt with its own internal breaches. Part II explored what it's like to be an employee of Conti's sprawling organization. Today's…
Avast Released Free Decryptor for HermeticRansom Ransomware (GBHackers On Security) One of the variants of HermeticWiper malware previously found seemed to be a type of ransomware. Threat labs at Avast discovered.
Russia weighs risks of launching cyberattacks against the West (TheHill) Although the United States is bracing for retaliatory Russian cyberattacks, experts in the field say the Kremlin is likely still weighing whether destructive action in cyberspace is worth the blowback.
Get ready for Russia's cyber retaliation (TheHill) Instead of preparing for cyber-doomsday scenarios, the private and public sectors should be hardening targets against actual threats.
Why Average Americans Should Beware Russian Cyber Attacks (GovTech) A Pennsylvania Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency office warns that Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which involved cyber attacks on its government and infrastructure, may impact others.
Guggenheim's Scott Minerd warns Russia could strike back at Western sanctions with cyberattacks to cripple financial markets (Markets Insider) Minerd said he is still placing some bets in markets that are dealing with the risk of contagion within the global financial system.
As War In Ukraine Drags On, Mandiant Warns West Could Become Target Of Cyber-Attacks (Defense Daily) Before the military invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, there were multiple cyber-attacks against the Ukrainian government and private sector, and as the war
Making Sense of Putin's Cyber Restraint (BankInfo Security) This ISMG Security Report analyzes why Russia has not yet launched full-scale cyberattacks in Ukraine and the West and what we might expect to come. It also
Amid Russian invasion, Ukraine granted formal role with NATO cyber hub (The Record by Recorded Future) Members of NATO’s cyber center of excellence this week voted unanimously to allow Ukraine to participate in its ongoing work.
Ukraine Conflict Puts Organisations’ Cyber-resilience To The Test (Information Security Buzz) The invasion of Ukraine is the culmination of years of careful preparation from the Russian state. Strategic cyber-advantages were gained in several areas, convincing them of their own cyber-supremacy.
Kremlin holds 36 UK taxpayer-owned satellites hostage in OneWeb stand-off (The Telegraph) Russia refuses to send satellites into orbit and even covers up British flags on their launch rocket
Cisco stands on guard with our customers in Ukraine (Cisco Blogs) Cisco is working around the clock on a global effort to protect our customers and critical infrastructure in Ukraine.
Open source community could drop support for Russian processors (Computing) Users discussing the issue on GitHub seem split between ethics and the paradigm of open source
Microsoft, SpaceX, Airbnb and Others Offer Ukraine Assistance (Wall Street Journal) Microsoft, SpaceX, Airbnb and GlaxoSmithKline are among the businesses helping the country fend off cyberattacks, supplying painkillers and providing internet service during Russia’s assault.
Microsoft suspends new sales in Russia (Microsoft On the Issues) We are announcing today that we will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia. In addition, we are coordinating closely with the US, the EU and the UK, and we are stopping many aspects of our business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanction decisions.
Samsung Suspends Shipments of Phones, Chips to Russia (Bloomberg) Samsung has more of Russia smartphone market than Apple. Global tensions mount after attack on nuclear power plant.
Google suspends all ad sales in Russia as censorship demands grow (Reuters) Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday that it had stopped selling online advertising in Russia, a ban that covers search, YouTube and outside publishing partners.
TikTok Suspends Livestreaming in Russia on ‘Fake News’ Law (Bloomberg) Video-streaming service says it needs to review safety issues. Russia has sought to crackdown on social media services.
TikTok plans to add labels to ‘some’ state-controlled media (The Verge) The labels will roll out in the next few days.
Xbox, EA, CD Projekt and More Halt Game Sales in Russia and Belarus (IGN) Cyberpunk and The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red has announced it will stop selling games in Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.
Boeing to Provide $2 million for Humanitarian Relief Efforts in Ukraine (ExecutiveGov) Boeing has committed to providing an emergency assistance package worth $2 million for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.
Netflix Suspends Service in Russia Amid Invasion of Ukraine (Variety) Netflix has suspended its service in Russia to protest the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Earlier this week, the streaming service had announced that it would pause all future proj…
Apple, Nike and Hollywood Spurn Russia, Isolating Putin (Bloomberg) Nation of 145 million loses access to iconic U.S. brands. Apple and Nike join global corporate boycott of the country.
PayPal shuts down its services in Russia citing Ukraine aggression (Reuters) Payments company PayPal Holdings Inc shut down its services early on Saturday in Russia, citing "the current circumstances," joining many financial and tech companies in suspending operations there after the invasion of Ukraine.
Visa, Mastercard grant Zelensky's request, ban all operations in Rusia (Newsweek) "We are compelled to act following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed," wrote Visa's CEO.
Russian banks turn to Chinese payments system after Visa and Mastercard suspend operations (The Telegraph) Sberbank and Alfa Bank plan to use China’s UnionPay, as world's financial system splinters
Airbnb is suspending all operations in Russia and Belarus, CEO Brian Chesky says (The Economic Times) Earlier this week, Airbnb said it is offering free short-term housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of their country.
Kaspersky: We’re ‘Not Affected’ By The Sanctions On Russia (CRN) Kaspersky said its business operations remain stable and haven’t been harmed by the crippling economic sanctions issued against Russia for its recent invasion of Ukraine.
Eugene Kaspersky's Statement Provokes Controversy Within Cybersecurity Industry (Infosecurity Magazine) Eugene Kaspersky's statement on ongoing conflict in Ukraine provoked strong reaction from leading cybersecurity figures
Elon Musk says SpaceX's Starlink won't block Russian news sources 'unless at gunpoint' (Space.com) Some governments told Starlink to block Russian media, Musk said Saturday.
High Above Ukraine, Satellites Get Embroiled in the War (Wired) While the Russian invasion rages on the ground, companies that operate data-collecting satellites find themselves with an awkward position.
“Nothing to share”: South Korean firm turns down Ukrainian request for satellite imagery (SpaceNews) South Korea’s Earth observation company SI Imaging Services (SIIS) turned down a request to share satellite imagery of Ukraine and neighboring countries to assist Ukrainian efforts to repel Russia’s invasion.
Ukraine's proud space industry faces obliteration, but country's former space chief has hope for the future (Space.com) Ukraine has a mighty space industry whose Zenit rocket is Elon Musk's favorite. But the country's potential might soon lie in ruins together with its dreams as Russia continues its bloody siege. However, the country's former space boss told Space.com that he still has hopes for the future and believes the underdog Ukraine could help fill Russia's shoes in international collaborations.
Sanctioning Putin’s Ukraine War: Time to cut academic ties with Russia? (Atlantic Council) As the West imposes crushing sanctions on Russia over Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, governments must also address the complex issue of academic cooperation with Russian universities.
Too Close to Putin? Institutions Vet Artists, Uncomfortably. (New York Times) Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led arts organizations to reconsider who performs, forcing them to confront questions about free speech and policing political views.
Protests against Russian invasion of Ukraine fill streets around the globe (Washington Post) From Europe, to Asia, to Africa to North America, people around the globe took to the streets Saturday to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin and plead for peace as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine leaves hundreds of civilians dead.
Governments hit back at Russia on Twitter: ‘We can’t stay silent on this one’ (Washington Post) Usually staid official government accounts are shedding formality in favor of clap backs.
Cryptocurrency as the New Frontline in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine (Wilson Center) The outcome of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is unclear. What is clear is that the human and economic toll of this assault will be profound.
Here's why crypto won't save the Kremlin from sanctions (Atlantic Council) Moscow turning to cryptocurrency to evade financial punishment is more illusory than it might appear.
Labour shortages on land and at sea as Ukraine invasion ripples spread (The Loadstar) Putin’s war against Ukraine will exacerbate the logistics sector’s labour shortage, as sanctions impede recruitment for seafarers and drivers. International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) data notes that Russians account for 10.5% (198,123) of the global shipping workforce, with Ukraine providing 76,442 (or 4%), and warned restrictions on Russian crew could hinder a sector already hit by labour shortages. ICS said: “To maintain unfettered trade, seafarers must be able to join and disembark ...
Yandex, considered ‘Russia’s Google’, shaken and isolated by Putin’s war (Financial Times) Western investors and tech partners are abandoning the group following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine
To Punish Putin, the World Turned Finance Into a Weapon of War (Bloomberg) Russia’s central bank became the main target on a front that could crater the country’s economy.
How Vladimir Putin blundered into his biggest economic mistake (The Telegraph) As Europe races to turn off the taps, Russia faces ruin
JPMorgan Warns Russia Faces 1998-Like Collapse in Economy (Bloomberg) Export earnings disrupted, imports set to buckle, analysts say. Central bank sanctions, SWIFT cut-off have intensifed pressure.
Macron keeps an open line to Putin as war in Ukraine rages (AP NEWS) While most of the world is shunning President Vladimir Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine , one of the few leaders keeping an open line of communication is French President Emmanuel Macron.
The week Vladimir Putin lost control (The Telegraph) As Ukraine continues to defy Russian troops, the disasters are mounting for Russia's president militarily, economically and diplomatically
A Hail Mary on Ukraine (Brookings) Michael E. O'Hanlon argues that the international community must make a Hail Mary effort at ending the Russia-Ukraine war before conditions in Ukraine get even worse.
Putin is no chess master | Opinion (Newsweek) Russia does have one card to play: China.
Ex-Putin adviser denies Putin's "losing his mind," sees one way to stop him (Newsweek) Andrei Illarionov, who served as an economic adviser to Putin from 2000 to 2005, called Putin as "calculated" as ever.
Washington’s newest worry: The dangers of cornering Putin (The Japan Times) Putin’s reaction to the initial wave of sanctions has provoked a range of concerns that one senior official called the "Cornered Putin Problem.”
‘This Is a Man Who, When Backed Into the Corner, Raises the Stakes’ (Foreign Policy) FP columnist Adam Tooze on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, and the West’s economic war against Russia.
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.
Has Putin Lost the Plot? (Foreign Policy) The more repressive a leader becomes, the more paranoid they can get, experts say.
Column: Could Antiwar Protests in Russia Be Putin's Undoing? (Time) Demonstrations in Russia against the invasion of Ukraine could eventually snowball into an anti-Putin movement
For the West, Now Comes the Hard Part (World Politics Review) Russia’s invasion of Ukraine resembles a tale of two wars. For Vladimir Putin, the past week can hardly have been reassuring. For the West, the story is quite the reverse. There is plenty of room for reversals in the coming weeks and months. But already a number of takeaways have emerged—as well as some cautionary notes.
What If Russia Loses? (Foreign Affairs) A defeat for Moscow won’t be a clear victory for the West.
Putin, His Rat and Six Ways the War in Ukraine Could End (Bloomberg) What makes Russia's aggression so terrifying is that it’s determined solely by the perceived self-interest of one man.
Can Sanctions Be Smart? (Foreign Affairs) The costs and benefits of economic coercion.
White House Weighs Ban on Russian Oil Imports as Congress Fumes (Bloomberg) Measures to ban Russian crude gaining bipartisan support, White House spokesperson says no decision has been made.
How sanctions are crippling the economy of 'Fortress Russia' (The Telegraph) Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine leaves his country facing an 11pc hit to GDP
Russia's ruble crashes 10% to a new record low as the US and Europe consider a ban on its energy exports (Markets Insider) The ruble plunged after the US and its allies discussed further retaliation against Russia's invasion of Ukraine via an embargo on its oil supplies.
Oil surges almost 20% to near $140 a barrel as US and Europe weigh ban on Russian imports (Markets Insider) Surging crude-oil prices have sent prices up at the pump, with US gas prices jumping to around $4 a gallon — the highest level since 2008.
Moscow's stock market saw its longest shutdown, the ruble crashed 30%, and oil surged toward $120 as sanctions bit. Here are the top 10 seismic market moments after Russia invaded Ukraine. (Markets Insider) Being the world's 2nd-largest oil producer, Russia's war in Europe presents added uncertainty and the possibility of supply shocks to energy.
The Russian Central Bank is running out of options (Atlantic Council) The now-embattled institution didn't expect to be sanctioned so quickly—and was forced to prepare its response in a hurry.
Biden hails 'united response' to Russia with Finnish president (Washington Examiner) President Joe Biden hosted Finnish President Sauli Niinisto at the White House on Friday to discuss the "united trans-Atlantic response" to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Naftali Bennett secretly travels to Moscow to meet with Putin, has 3 conversations with Zelensky, as Israel acts as mediator in Russia-Ukraine crisis (Business Insider) The Israeli Prime Minister traveled to Moscow in secret to meet with Vladimir Putin. He has also spoken to Volodymyr Zelensky three times in 24 hours.
India Must Take a Stand on Russia’s War in Ukraine (Foreign Policy) New Delhi’s fence-sitting no longer serves its diplomatic or security interests.
Xi Jinping miscalculated if he thought China would gain from an easy little war in Ukraine (The Telegraph) In theory, Putin’s invasion presents an opportunity for the CPP. In practice, it makes life much harder for Beijing
Putin’s War Is Xi’s Worst Nightmare (Foreign Policy) Beijing is watching closely. And it doesn’t like what it sees.
Putin’s Financial Isolation by World’s Powerful Is a Cautionary Tale for Xi Jinping (Bloomberg) The crackdown on Russia may be a step toward a more polarized global economy. It’s also a reminder that the U.S. pulls the financial strings
Taiwan’s leaders try to calm fears over Ukraine invasion, but citizens worry their island will be next (Washington Post) Taiwanese officials have been working hard to discourage a catchphrase that has emerged over the last week, “Today Ukraine, Tomorrow Taiwan.”
Send More Aid to Taiwan, Before It’s Too Late (Defense One) The emergency supplemental bill should be just the prelude to a larger annual military aid package.
Putin’s War Has Middle Eastern Countries Hedging Their Bets (Foreign Policy) Washington’s security guarantees now seem worth even less.
Putin’s energy shock is broadening into a world food crisis, so brace for rationing (The Telegraph) A billion of the world’s poorest people will go even hungrier thanks to Putin’s deranged misadventure
Which Russia-related products should you boycott? (The Telegraph) From booze to pensions, how can you use your own personal spending power to make Putin pay?
Putin will win and win again if the West continues to show that it is afraid of him (The Telegraph) Introducing a no-fly zone over Ukraine is probably too risky, but Nato’s lack of ambiguity emboldens the Kremlin
Russian invasion reorders West's calculations on cost of war (AP NEWS) Not long after winding down 20 years of war, President Joe Biden now finds the United States entrenched in a conflict in Ukraine, even without sending in U.S.
Calling all pirates: This US lawmaker wants you to seize Russian vessels (Military Times) The anti-Putin pirates.
Russian no show at U.N. court hearings on Ukrainian war (Reuters) Russia boycotted hearings at the U.N.'s highest court on Monday during which Ukraine is seeking an emergency order to halt hostilities, arguing that Moscow has falsely applied genocide law in justifying its invasion.
Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskiy vows to ‘punish atrocities’ as family dies trying to evacuate Irpin – live (the Guardian) Hopes of establishing a humanitarian corridor out of besieged city of Mariupol dashed for second day running
The full force of international law must now be employed against Vladimir Putin (The Telegraph) We can create a special tribunal to investigate the specific crime of aggression, as we did at Nuremberg
Civilian toll mounts in Ukraine as world leaders raise question of war crimes (Washington Post) U.S. officials have seen “credible reports” of intentional Russian attacks on civilians and are documenting actions that could constitute a war crime, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday.
Could Putin Actually Face Accountability at the ICC? (Foreign Policy) The International Criminal Court has opened an investigation into Ukraine. Here’s what you need to know.
Russian oligarchs using human rights laws to fight sanctions (The Telegraph) Solicitors are using the right to a fair trial by arguing their clients must be presumed innocent until proven otherwise
Ukraine’s Secret Weapon Against Russia: Turkish Drones (Time) Videos of Ukrainian drone strikes are a crucial weapon in the propaganda war as well as in the military one
Techno-geopolitics and the Turkish way of drone warfare (Atlantic Council) Turkish Defense expert Can Kasapoglu analyzes the implications of Turkey's military dronization and evolution of drone warfare. Turkish drones have already proven to be capable assets in a variety of conflict zones across the region, with Ukraine being the last example.
Rich oligarchs with private jets may be able to evade a U.S. ban on Russian planes (Washington Post) FAA records on foreign owners of U.S.-registered planes are often incomplete, creating national security risks
The History Behind Sunflowers in Ukraine (Time) Throughout Ukraine's history, the flower has been used as a symbol of peace
What Russia Is Doing to Ukraine Must Be Preserved—Not Just Seen (Wired) Images of crimes against humanity are in danger of being lost. Fortunately, best practices exist, and the international community needs to implement them.
I Keep Going Back to One Video From Ukraine (Wired) Social media is a strange lens to watch a war unfold. But this post from a Ukrainian musician highlights the importance of watching—and remembering.
Pence says there’s no room in the GOP for ‘apologists for Putin’ in veiled swipe at Trump (Washington Post) Former vice president Mike Pence on Friday night said there is no room in the Republican Party for “apologists for Putin” in an apparent swipe at former president Donald Trump.
Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
Satellitennetzwerk Viasat offenbar gezielt in Osteuropa gehackt (Spiegel) Die Bundesregierung sieht nach SPIEGEL-Informationen einen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Hack eines Satelliten-Internetanbieters und dem Ukrainekrieg. Die Vorgehensweise der Hacker spricht für technisch versierte Angreifer.
Hackers attack Viasat satellite network in Eastern Europe (Jerusalem Post) A connection to the Ukraine crisis is suspected to be the reason for the attack.
Thousands knocked offline in Europe in apparent cyber attack (TheJournal.ie) Some people in Germany, France, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Poland were affected by the outage.
Satellite outage knocks out thousands of Enercon's wind turbines (Reuters) Germany's Enercon on Monday said a "massive disruption" of satellite connections in Europe was affecting the operations of 5,800 wind turbines in central Europe.
Viasat Investigating KA-SAT Outage Due to Potential Cyber Event (Via Satellite) Viasat is investigating a partial network outage on its European KA-SAT network that may be the result of a cyber event, the company confirmed to Via
Cyberattack Knocks Thousands Offline in Europe (SecurityWeek) 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.
Russia-Ukraine war exploited as lure for malware distribution (BleepingComputer) Threat actors are distributing malware using phishing themes related to the invasion of Ukraine, aiming to infect their targets with remote access trojans (RATs) such as Agent Tesla and Remcos.
Imperva Thwarts 2.5 Million RPS Ransom DDoS Extortion Attacks (The Hacker News) Imperva thwarts 2.5 million requests per second ransom DDoS extortion attacks
CISA Adds Another 95 Flaws to its Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog (The Hacker News) CISA added a new batch of 95 actively exploited security flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.
Tens of Cybersecurity Firms Found Exposing Their Assets: Study (SecurityWeek) Tens of cybersecurity companies have been found to expose more than 200,000 assets during a two-week study conducted by Reposify.
New Linux Kernel cgroups Vulnerability Could Let Attackers Escape Container (The Hacker News) A new vulnerability in the Linux kernel's control groups feature could let attackers to escape a container to execute arbitrary commands on the host.
Nvidia allegedly hacks back (Avast) After hacking group LAPSU$ took credit for a cyberattack that stole 1 TB of data from microchip company Nvidia, the hackers then claimed that Nvidia hit back with a ransomware cyberattack on LAPSU$.
Credentials of 71,000 NVIDIA Employees Leaked Following Cyberattack (SecurityWeek) The email addresses and passwords of more than 71,000 NVIDIA employees were likely stolen in a recent cyberattack and are now circulating within underground communities.
Leaked stolen Nvidia cert can code-sign Windows malware (Register) 70k staff email addresses and NTLM password hashes also dumped online
Hackers claim massive Samsung leak, including encryption keys and source code (Android Police) Lapsus$, the group that targeted Nvidia, claims responsibility
Lapsus$ group leaks 190GB of Samsung data, source code (Computing) The Lapsus$ hacking group, which also recently attacked Nvidia, is allegedly to blame
Samsung’s secret data leaks after devastating cyberattack (SamMobile) Samsung Electronics has reportedly been hit by a devastating cyberattack that has resulted in a lot of confidential data being ...
Authorities investigate ransomware attack in Fleetwood ASD (WFMZ.com) Officials with Fleetwood Area School District say its computer systems were attacked with ransomware.
Verizon confirms ‘intermittent issues’ impacted customer phone calls (New York Post) Verizon confirmed “intermittent issues” were affecting its network after customers noted they were having trouble making or receiving phone calls.
Adafruit discloses data leak from ex-employee's GitHub repo (BleepingComputer) Adafruit has disclosed a data leak that occurred due to a publicly-viewable GitHub repository. The company suspects this could have allowed "unauthorized access" to information about certain users on or before 2019.
More privacy breaches in handling of military sexual misconduct settlement deal (CBC) The company overseeing the federal government's $900 million settlement deal with military members who experienced sexual misconduct in uniform has admitted to more privacy breaches.
Washingtonians affected by T-Mobile data breach urged to protect personal information (king5.com) Washingtonians impacted by the T-Mobile data breach are urged to protect their personal information after it was seen for sale on the dark web.
Security Patches, Mitigations, and Software Updates
Firefox patches two in-the-wild exploits – update now! (Naked Security) Firefox just published a double-zero-day patch – “remote code execution” combined with “sandbox escape”. Update now!
CISA warns organizations to patch 95 actively exploited bugs (BleepingComputer) The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added 95 vulnerabilities to its list of actively exploited security issues, the largest number since issuing the binding operational directive (BOD) last year.
Trailer Power Line Communications (PLC) J2497 (CISA) 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CVSS v3 9.3 ATTENTION: Exploitable remotely/low attack complexity Equipment: Power Line Communications (PLC): J2497 (a.k.a. PLC4TRUCKS) Vulnerabilities: Missing Authentication for Critical Function, Improper Protection against Electromagnetic Fault Injection 2.
Trends
Slight Increase in Attacks on ICS Computers in 2021: Report (SecurityWeek) Kaspersky saw a small increase in the percentage of ICS computers attacked in 2021, but there was a more significant rise for certain types of threats.
Marketplace
Plurilock Announces Acquisition of Integra Networks Corporation (Yahoo Finance) Integra is a leading provider of enterprise-level technology solutions, with a large Canadian government client network Purchase price of CA$1.2 million to be funded via a combination of Plurilock shares, cash on hand, and milestone driven earn outsThe acquisition is intended to provide Plurilock with another compelling opportunity to build shareholder value through accretive and disciplined capital allocation to extend its distribution channels, while adding new top-tier customers to its busine
VISO Trust Raises $11 Million for Cyber Risk Management Platform (SecurityWeek) Third-party cyber risk management solutions provider VISO Trust this week announced that it has raised $11 million in Series A funding, which brings the total investment in the company to $14 million.
ZMC to exit Education Networks of America (PE Hub) Zayo Group has agreed to acquire Nashville-based Education Networks of America, a provider of managed network connectivity and security services to school districts and other public sector customers.
Chinese Tech Firms Weigh Opportunities in Russia After Western Pullout (Wall Street Journal) As Western tech companies halt sales to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, their Chinese rivals have an opportunity to capitalize on their departure—but it won’t be easy.
Delinea reports record revenue and customer acquisitions (SecurityBrief New Zealand) Delinea has reported a record annual recurring revenue for the 2021 fiscal year, along with a range of new customer acquisitions globally.
20 Things You Didn't Know About Egnyte (Money Inc) Egnyte is an American technology startup that protects businesses that operate on the cloud in an online environment. The platform supplies a unified
CrowdStrike: This Next-Gen Cybersecurity Company Has Significant Upside Potential (CRWD) (SeekingAlpha) The cybersecurity market is growing at a rapid pace and is expected to do so. Read more to see why CrowdStrike is in a better position to benefit from this.
Proofpoint Announces CEO Transition (GlobeNewswire News Room) Gary Steele Steps Down; Ashan Willy, Proofpoint’s EVP and GM, Security Products and Services, Named Interim CEO...
Sophos names new APJ channel chief (CRN Australia) Chad Cleevely replaces John Fox.
New Splunk CEO inherits a company in transition (SearchITOperations) Gary Steele, formerly of Proofpoint, takes over as Splunk CEO after a year of leadership upheavals, with the task of completing its shift to cloud.
Products, Services, and Solutions
Acronis SCS Launches Certified Cyber Protection Solution for Service Providers Supporting the US Public Sector (PR Newswire) Acronis SCS – an American cyber protection company dedicated to providing certified solutions to the US public sector, announced today the...
AU10TIX RECOGNIZED WITH SILVER GLOBEE® AWARD IN THE 2022 CYBER SECURITY GLOBAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS® (PR Newswire) AU10TIX, a leading global provider of fully automated identity verification technology, announced today that The Globee® Awards, organizers of...
CrowdStrike Introduces the Industry's First Fully-Managed Identity Threat Protection Solution, Powered by Falcon Complete (CrowdStrike) CrowdStrike today introduced Falcon Identity Threat Protection Complete, the industry’s first fully-managed identity threat protection solution.
Acronis SCS launches Certified Cyber Protection solution for service providers supporting the U.S. public sector (Security Infowatch) Cyber Protection Solution optimized for MSPs with most comprehensive certification, U.S.-based data centers and support for public sector; rollout debuts with over 19 early adopters
CyberRes Strengthens IT Security by Combining Deep Analytics with Threat Research Network (Micro Focus) CyberRes Strengthens IT Security by Combining Deep Analytics with Threat Research Network
Technologies, Techniques, and Standards
5 Ways to Determine if you do Cybersecurity or Cybersecurity Theater (Security Boulevard) For a sentient species, humans, in general, have curious ideas when it comes to reckoning and responding to risk. For example, studies show using seat belts when driving in automobiles save lives. Studies also show when cyclists use helmets more cyclists’ lives are saved. This research drives prolific seat belt and helmet use among auto The post 5 Ways to Determine if you do Cybersecurity or Cybersecurity Theater appeared first on Blog.
Six quick tactics to blunt a cyber attack from Russia – or any nation state (IT World Canada) With tensions high because of war in Ukraine, infosec leaders in countries supporting sanctions against Russia are more worried than ever about the possibility of a retaliatory cyber attack. It’s too late to buy new hardware or software, install end-to-end encryption or start similar large projects. But, say two instructors at the SANS Institute, there
Five steps the Defense Department should consider for its data management strategy (C4ISRNet) Opportunities exist for the DoD to learn best practices for data and apply them within agencies. Here are five areas DoD decision-makers should consider when implementing a data management strategy.
Design and Innovation
NIST Set to Announce Round 3 Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Selections Within the Next Few Weeks (Quantum Computing Report) In December 2016, the U.S. National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) announced a competition to select new quantum resistant public key encryption algorithms that would eventually supersede the classical RSA and other public key cryptography algorithms that may be vulnerable to future quantum computers.
The future of public key cryptography will be post-quantum cryptography (Design And Reuse) Quantum computing is a novel paradigm for computing that was introduced as a concept in the 1980s and has enjoyed a lot of attention in the recent years ...
Research and Development
Inside the fight to protect your data from quantum computers - Scienceline (Scienceline) Data encryption is the hidden glue holding the internet together. But encryption has a major foe on the horizon: the inevitable rise of quantum computers.
Academia
LFCC chosen for U.S. Cyber Command’s Academic Engagement Network (Royal Examiner) LFCC is one of just 14 community colleges nationwide to be selected to join the U.S. Cyber Command’s (CYBERCOM) Academic Engagement Network. Established in 2010, CYBERCOM is co-located with the National Security Agency (NSA) at Ft. Meade, Md. Its duties include defending U.S. Department of Defense information systems and protecting the U.S. against cyberattack in […]
Legislation, Policy, and Regulation
Experts urge EU not to force insecure certificates in web browsers (BleepingComputer) A group of 38 cybersecurity professors and IT experts worldwide, together with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), have cosigned a letter to EU regulators that warns of a proposal that could expose internet users to cybercrime.
Swiss army to beef up cyber defence with command centre (SWI swissinfo.ch) Parliament has given the green light to create a cyber command centre for the Swiss armed forces.
NATO and White House recognize post-quantum threats and prepare for Y2Q (VentureBeat) Encryption has emerged as one of the key security solutions that companies use. However, quantum computing is putting these defenses at risk.
White House sides with Congress over contentious cyber bill (TheHill) The White House has endorsed a cyber bill that has divided members of the Biden administration and Senate lawmakers.
Russia’s Invasion Prompts Quick Senate Action on Cybersecurity (Dispatch) A package of three bills awaits action in the House.
How the Senate's Cyber Bill Could Affect Health Sector (GovInfo Security) A Senate cybersecurity bill calls for critical infrastructure entities to report major cyber incidents within 72 hours, and within 24 hours when a ransomware
Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement
China's ZTE faces hearing over possible violation of U.S. probation (Reuters) ZTE Corp., the Chinese telecom equipment maker, will go back to U.S. federal court March 14 to face a new accusation it may have violated its probation from its 2017 guilty plea for illegally shipping U.S. technology to Iran.
Cyber Drama: The Complicated Relationship Between Pegasus Spyware and the World (ClearanceJobs) Pegasus spyware has frustrated governments and tech companies. While it can be a key law enforcement tool, it's not always used that way.
Incident: 210537534 RMS Report Number: R008617792 (Missouri State Highway Patrol) On Thursday, October 14, 2021, at about 0644 hours, Captain Paul Kerperin contacted me with information he had received about sensitive data, teacher’s social security numbers, being exposed via a public website of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Captain Kerperin directed the Digital Forensic Investigative Unit to investigate the matter.
Activision Blizzard sued for wrongful death by family of employee who killed herself (Washington Post) Activision Blizzard, the embattled gaming giant that Microsoft recently agreed to buy for nearly $69 billion, is being sued by the family of an employee who died by suicide, with the family blaming the woman’s death on sexual harassment and claiming that a supervisor then lied to detectives about his relationship with her, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The Washington Post.
