The Kremlin’s decision to recognise the territories in Luhansk and Donetsk has prepared the ground for Russian troops to formally occupy Ukrainian territory. The development has been described by European Commission vice president Frans Timmermans as “one of the darkest days in European history”.
“Russia no longer has the power to dominate, and therefore chooses to disrupt,” Timmermans said. “And our reaction to that behaviour is going to determine not just the security of Europe, it is going to determine global security for the years to come.”
A major element of that disruption comes in the form of cyberwarfare, with Russia leveraging its cyber arsenal not only against the Ukrainians, but also potentially targeting NATO members and global economies that commit to imposing economic sanctions on the Russian state.
For Darktrace’s Justin Fier, this is not just a danger at the state level; enterprises of all sizes must be aware of the escalating threats emerging from the conflict – particularly around national critical infrastructure. The director of cyber intelligence and analytics spoke to Tech Monitor editor-in-chief Pete Swabey about the changing face of warfare; the organisations and sectors potentially in the firing line; and what steps security leaders must take to minimise their exposure.
