“The Russian method is a mill,” emphasized a French general
The Cyber Defense Command closely follows the battle in cyberspace and the information field between Russia and Ukraine. The army discovered that hackers in Moscow had so far failed to compromise Ukraine’s solid computer systems.
” The Russian approach is the mill. He wanted to sow doubt among the population by continuously showering them with information “Launching General Aymeric Bonnemaison, Commander of Cyber Defense – Comcyber for short – at a press conference on January 12, 2023. 11 months after the start of Russia’s total invasion of Ukraine, French cyber defense services are taking lessons from cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns. Why connect the two? Because they are part of an operational unit led by the Kremlin.
Comeber distinguishes the first phase of a cyber war. Since 2014, Kremlin hackers have been attacking Ukraine with glee: some collectives, members of Russian intelligence, have harassed Ukrainians with unpublished malware, depriving one day of electricity, another drinking water. At the same time, the propaganda service launched an influence campaign to create discontent among the population. These attacks were only a consequence of the state’s detachment from Russia, wanting to trust Moscow. This message is widespread on social networks, even in text messages sent directly to residents.
The defense can take over the offense
Then came a total invasion of the country, on February 24, 2022.” It is assumed that Vladimir Putin hid his intentions from many relatives. The lack of maneuverable construction is partly responsible for the failures we witness today », Analysis of General Bonnemaison. On the ground, as in cyberspace, the army did not live up to the Kremlin’s expectations. The first wave was launched against communication systems to isolate Ukraine, specifically through attacks on the KA-SAT satellite. However, very quickly, we saw that operating in cyberspace did little damage.
Russian pirates attack, persistently, but do no harm. Ukraine can pride itself on having built an extraordinary cyber shield, strengthened by the American armed forces and tech giants like Microsoft. Thanks to being attacked, countries have been formed and learned to protect themselves from attacking neighbors.
” The defense can take over the offensive, that’s the whole point of this conflict said the head of cyber command. However, the general wanted to remain cautious: “ Russian hackers missed their hits, but they shouldn’t be buried for any of that. Cyber weapons are stealthy and stealthy, it doesn’t always make noise. »
Russia is trying to sow doubt
Comeber monitors the information field equally. On its territory, Russia has begun a withdrawal. Russia’s sovereign internet and the banning of many apps have allowed the regime to limit the entry of outside information to prevent Russia from facing reality. Internationally, Russia is spreading discourse meant to manipulate information. Which, failing to persuade, sowed confusion. The masses of false information will end up casting doubt on the population on many counts.
Ukraine has also been surprised by its ability to convey messages. The President of Ukraine has adopted a strategy of openness, communicating massively with its population and especially with the West.
General Bonnemaison recalled that ” electronic warfare is in full swing “. Starlink network kit jams, deal attacks, cyber espionage are everyday actions that must be watched to understand the evolution of combat.
