Inside Russia’s attempts to hack Ukrainian military operations

Ukrainian intelligence officials have unveiled details about an attempt by Russian state hackers to breach the Ukrainian military’s operational systems.

The hacking attempt: Russian military intelligence hackers targeted Android tablet devices used by Ukrainian officers in order to gather intelligence.
* The hackers intended to collect data from the devices and then create malware to infiltrate the wider military operations network.
* According to Illia Vitiuk, head of the Ukrainian Cybersecurity Department, the aim was to gain insight into the operations systems the Ukrainian military uses.
* The Ukrainian Security Service attributed the cyber operation to the Russian military intelligence organization GRU, specifically to the hacker group known as SandWorm.

Security measures: Despite these hacking attempts, certain protective protocols prevent full vulnerabilities.
* The Delta and Kropvya systems used by the Ukrainian military are segmented, meaning each user does not have access to all components — limiting the potential damage an individual breach can cause.
* Illia Vitiuk also noted that the Delta platform doesn’t directly track Ukrainian troop locations, adding another layer of security.

The malware focus: Among the varied forms of malware discovered, one particularly aimed at gathering information about connection to the satellite internet device Starlink.
* Devices such as Starlink, developed by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, have been critical in Ukraine during the ongoing invasion, especially when other communication networks are unavailable.
* The malware potentially helps Russian hackers understand the location of specific military units, which they can use for targeted attacks.

The broader picture: Ukraine aims to shed light on Russia’s tactics for a wider audience.
* By openly publishing information about the Russian operation, they hope to expose their tactics and allow partners to defend against them.
* Illia Vitiuk emphasizes the importance of starting to protect these systems as he believes they will likely be used by other countries, making these systems a focal point for future attacks.

View original article on NPR

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