Ukraine 🇺🇦 Crisis Intensifies with DDoS Attack

Government and private websites in Ukraine have been knocked offline in a massive distributed denial-of-service attack as Russian troops move into contested areas in the east of the country.

Websites knocked offline included the Ukraine Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Internal Affairs, the Ukraine Security Service and the Cabinet on Ministers. Two banks, Privatbank and Oschadbank, were also taken offline.

Today, websites of a number of government and banking institutions have undergone a massive DDoS attack again, the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine said in a statement. Some of the attacked information systems are not available or work intermittently.

Russian forces have moved into areas of Denetsk and Luhansk, within Ukraine’s internationally accepted borders that rebel groups have held since 2014. Russia claims that the troops have entered the breakaway regions as part of a peacekeeping mission, while others claim it counts as an invasion of Ukraine.

The attacks show the potential of state actors aiming to impose disruption and fear, The increased risk of malicious cyber activity in the U.S. and around the world due to Russia-Ukraine tensions should encourage security teams to invest in and prioritize their routine cybersecurity practices.