Fwd: SANS NewsBites Vol. 24 Num. 34 : Microsoft Report on Russian Cyber Warfare

[Bill Frantz]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "SANS NewsBites" <news...@email.sans.org>

Date: April 29, 2022 at 14:07:26 EDT

Microsoft Report on Russian Cyber Warfare

(April 27, 2022)
 

Microsoft has published “a report detailing the relentless and destructive Russian cyberattacks we’ve observed in a hybrid war against Ukraine.” The report lists nearly 250 cyber operations conducted by six separate groups of threat actors who all have ties to Russia.
 

Editor's Note

[Neely]
The report notes that cyber-attacks are being coordinated with kinetic actions, increasing the reach and disruption of both actions. The old model of going to ground while continuing to operate becomes much more complex. Note that the Russian military defines information warfare as "confrontation in the information space with the goal of causing damage to critical information systems, undermining political, economic, and social systems, psychologically manipulating the public to destabilize the state and coerce the state to make decisions to benefit the adversary party."

[Spitzner]
This is a fascinating report and one I highly recommend you read. The number and type of attacks is just breathtaking. Three key Russian intelligence services are actively involved (GRU, FSB, SVR). What is amazing is not just the TTPs used in the attacks, but the breadth of goals. Russia is undertaking everything from psychological warfare targeting an entire population to targeted infrastructure attacks. This is not a small-scale effort to support the kinetic side of warfare; this is an entire another battlefield, one Russia prioritizes just as much as their physical military forces.

Read more in:
- blogs.microsoft.com: The hybrid war in Ukraine
- query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com: Special Report: Ukraine An overview of Russia’s cyberattack activity in Ukraine
- www.scmagazine.com: Microsoft details rampant cyber warfare corresponding to Russian invasion
- www.zdnet.com: Microsoft: Russia has launched hundreds of cyberattacks against Ukraine
- arstechnica.com: Russia wages “relentless and destructive” cyberattacks to bolster Ukraine invasion