This Week's [in]Security - Issue 256 - Ukraine

Welcome to this special edition of [in]Security. Our regular news update can be found https://controlgap.com/blog/this-weeks-insecurity-issue-256.

Much of the world was shocked at the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As the terrible cost of another war in Europe unfolds and the World rallies to help Ukraine and constrain Russia, the risk of escalation and overreaction go beyond the immediate battlefield with sanctions, bans, and cyber-mercenaries in play. Our sympathy and support goes out to the people of the Ukraine.

Update: 2022-03-03 Created as a standalone article with additions on how people can help. As events progress, we will continue to report on risks and events arising from this crisis in our regular issues under our usual topics.

News of the war, sanctions, reactions, and related risks

• The war in Ukraine:

  • Putin Chooses a Forever War https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/02/putin-chooses-forever-war/622875/
  • Ukraine crisis: Missile strikes, tanks and buildings hit in Kyiv https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60525995
  • Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert, escalating tensions https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/putin-puts-nuclear-forces-on-high-alert-escalating-tensions-1.5797947
  • Chernobyl's Radiation Spiked 20 Times Above Usual Levels as Russian Forces Arrive https://www.sciencealert.com/chernobyl-radiation-levels-have-increased-20-times-above-usual-levels-following-combat-and-military-movement
  • Ukraine crisis escalates as Europe braces for further strife https://globalnews.ca/news/8639300/ukraine-crisis-europe/
  • How the Crisis in Ukraine May End https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/02/how-crisis-ukraine-will-end/622942/

• Response to the war:

  • UK to impose sanctions on Russia's President Putin https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60530065
  • Russia's richest 22 billionaires have lost $39 billion in one day after the invasion of Ukraine https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-billionaires-lose-39-billion-dollars-one-day-ukraine-invasion-2022-2
  • The US has sanctioned the head of Russia's largest social network https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22951307/us-sanctions-russia-vk-ceo-vladimir-kiriyenko
  • Canada to place sanctions on Putin for Russian invasion of Ukraine https://globalnews.ca/news/8646887/canada-vladimir-putin-sanctions-russia-ukraine-invasion/
  • Who's on Canada's list of sanctions against Russia and who's not https://globalnews.ca/news/8643896/canada-sanctions-russia-oligarchs-ukraine-invasion/
  • Canada, U.S. and allies move to block select Russian banks from SWIFT https://globalnews.ca/news/8648943/swift-canada-us-block-russian-banks/
  • US, EU announce some Russian banks will be disconnected from the SWIFT banking system https://www.businessinsider.com/us-eu-announce-some-russian-banks-removed-from-swift-2022-2
  • Why Removing Russia From SWIFT Won't Be Simple https://www.pymnts.com/news/international/2022/why-removing-russia-from-swift-wont-be-simple/
  • Russian Banks Say They Can Weather Sanctions https://www.pymnts.com/news/banking/2022/russian-banks-say-they-can-weather-sanctions/
  • Some Russian bank customers have been cut off from Apple Pay and Google Pay https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952191/russian-bank-customers-apple-pay-google-pay-financial-sanctions-ukraine
  • Ukrainians and Russians are packing ATM lines, prompting fears of what happened in the US during the Great Depression https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-russia-bank-runs-great-depression-stock-market-sanctions-deflation-2022-2
  • Ukraine conflict: Russia doubles interest rate after Ruble slumps https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60550992
  • Today in Crypto: Crypto Market Cap Drops 9% to $1.5T as Russia Attacks Ukraine https://www.pymnts.com/cryptocurrency/2022/today-in-crypto-crypto-market-cap-drops-9-to-1-5t-as-russia-attacks-ukraine-eu-lawmakers-eye-limits-on-bitcoin-use-due-to-energy-worries/
  • BP to offload stake in Rosneft amid Ukraine conflict https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60548382
  • Bell, Rogers to remove Russian state media outlet RT, heritage minister says https://globalnews.ca/news/8649883/bell-rogers-rt-removal/
  • Russian Grand Prix cancelled following invasion of Ukraine https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60523049
  • Canadian liquor stores pull Russian products amid attack on Ukraine https://globalnews.ca/news/8647419/canada-liquor-stores-russian-products-ukraine/
  • Ukraine: France seizes Russian ship over sanctions https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60539119
  • EU closes airspace to Russian aircraft and blocks state-backed media https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/27/22953563/eu-ban-russia-aircraft-state-backed-media-ukraine-sanctions
  • Ukraine invasion: EU shuts airspace to Russian planes https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60539303
  • Russia hits back at UK by banning its airplanes from landing or crossing its airspace https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-bans-uk-airplanes-landing-crossing-airspace-ukraine-invasion-putin-2022-2
  • Russia suspends Soyuz rocket launches over European sanctions https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952535/russia-suspends-soyuz-rocket-launches-european-sanctions-ukraine-conflict
  • The Russian Invasion Touches Outer Space https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/02/russia-ukraine-international-space-station/622939/
  • Meta bans Russian state media outlets from running ads or monetizing content on Facebook https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-bans-russian-state-media-running-ads-monetize-facebook-2022-2
  • Russia Intensifies Censorship Campaign, Pressuring Tech Giants https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/technology/russia-censorship-tech.html
  • Russia blocks Twitter as Ukraine invasion escalates https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952006/russia-block-twitter-ukraine-invasion-censorship-putin
  • Russia partially blocks Facebook for fact-checking state-owned media https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/25/22950874/russia-facebook-blocked-roskomnadzor-media-censorship
  • Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Strains International Space Station Partnership https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-strains-international-space-station-partnership/
  • Anti-war Protests in Russia https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2022/02/photos-anti-war-protests-russia/622914/
  • Arm the Ukrainians Now https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/02/putin-russia-invasion-ukraine-war/621182/

• Disinformation and misinformation for propaganda and profit:

  • Instagram 'war accounts' and OnlyFans pages are making money from using fake Ukraine footage: 'The harm they do thus multiplies' https://www.businessinsider.com/fake-ukraine-videos-instagram-war-accounts-onlyfans-ads-misinformation-tiktok-2022-2

• Cyber-Risks and unintended consequences:

  • CISA Warns Critical Infrastructure Organizations of Foreign Influence Operations https://www.securityweek.com/cisa-warns-critical-infrastructure-organizations-foreign-influence-operations
  • Putin Warns Russian Critical Infrastructure to Brace for Potential Cyber Attacks https://thehackernews.com/2022/02/putin-warns-russian-critical.html
  • Russia Sanctions May Spark Escalating Cyber Conflict https://krebsonsecurity.com/2022/02/russia-sanctions-may-spark-escalating-cyber-conflict/
  • Russia threatens to target 'sensitive' US assets as part of 'strong' and 'painful' response to sanctions https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-government-painful-response-us-sanctions-2022-2
  • White House Denies Mulling Massive Cyberattacks Against Russia https://threatpost.com/white-house-denies-mulling-massive-cyberattacks-against-russia/178658/
  • Ukrainian government websites crash in suspected cyberattack as it organizes defense against Russian invasion https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-government-websites-crash-suspected-cyberattack-2022-2
  • Ukraine recruits "IT Army" to hack Russian entities, lists 31 targets https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ukraine-recruits-it-army-to-hack-russian-entities-lists-31-targets/
  • Cyber Attack Risks Poised to Soar as Russia Attacks Ukraine https://www.securityweek.com/cyber-attack-risks-poised-soar-russia-attacks-ukraine
  • DDoS Attempts Hit Russia as Ukraine Conflict Intensifies https://www.wired.com/story/russia-ukraine-ddos-nft-nsa-security-news
  • Government Advisories Warn of APT Activity Resulting from Russian Invasion of Ukraine https://www.tenable.com/blog/government-advisories-warn-of-apt-activity-resulting-from-russian-invasion-of-ukraine
  • Hacking Group Anonymous Wages 'Cyber War' Against Russia https://www.pymnts.com/news/international/2022/hacking-group-anonymous-wages-cyber-war-against-russia/
  • Russia-Ukraine War: Phishing, Malware and Hacker Groups Taking Sides https://thehackernews.com/2022/02/russia-ukraine-war-phishing-malware-and.html
  • Conti ransomware group threatens retaliatory attacks on critical infrastructure of countries that attack Russia https://www.databreaches.net/conti-ransomware-group-threatens-retaliatory-attacks-on-critical-infrastructure-of-countries-that-attack-russia/

Donations and Support

For those of you looking to help the Ukraine, please do your due diligence on donation sites. Scammers, fraudsters, and criminals are actively trying to exploit this tragedy for financial gain.

You can choose to donate through familiar channels such as the Red Cross, but if you are interesed in direct donnations consider these:

• This site will let you support the Ukrainian Army directly (please see the check boxes) https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/
• The National Bank of the Ukraine has a special fund, see the sections on remittances by currency https://bank.gov.ua/en/news/all/natsionalniy-bank-vidkriv-spetsrahunok-dlya-zboru-koshtiv-na-potrebi-armiyi
• Lists of critical supplies https://ca.meest.com/humanitarian-aid-packages-for-ukraine-ca however you will need to arrange your own shipping and should be careful to consider that some items could be restricted for international shipment
• Site lists ways to donate directly (and they also sell T-shirts) https://www.saintjavelin.com/
• Another site https://uahelp.monobank.ua/
• This is a crowdsourced site backed by officials in the Ukraine describing different ways to help by country. It includes a wide variety of sites. We link to the Canadian page (note there is some Government of Canada fund matching available) https://how-to-help-ukraine-now.super.site/help-translate/local-ve/canada