Ukraine: The Global Cyber Security Frontline

Ukraine is on the front lines of global cybersecurity, with recent cyber attacks originating from Russia serving as a reminder of the potential dangers posed by cyber operations to infrastructure, governments, and private companies worldwide. Russian cyber activities are seen as a public-private partnership, involving both official government actors and unofficial private hacker networks that are likely sanctioned and protected by Russian authorities. The most significant government actor in Russia’s cyber operations is Military Unit 74455, also known as Sandworm, which has been accused of engaging in cyber attacks since at least 2014. The recent cyber attack on Ukraine’s telecommunications infrastructure is believed to be affiliated with Sandworm. However, specific relationships are intentionally difficult to determine.