Cyber and Information warfare in the Ukrainian conflict

Abstract

The Ukrainian conflict started with the invasion of Crimea by Russian troops. As the conflict continued Ukrainian and Russian hackers engaged in tit-for-tat cyberattacks while maintaining them at low intensity. In December 2015 and December 2016, the cyberattacks on the Ukrainian power grid showed that cyber capabilities could be used to escalate the conflict. This report examines the various methods used in the numerous cyberattacks in the context of the Ukrainian conflict, as well as the categories of victims and the possible perpetrators. The report analyzes the effects of the cyberattacks on Ukrainian society, politics, economy, technology and international relations. Finally, it proposes a series of recommendations for states to minimize the effects of the cyber-activities resulting from the Ukrainian conflict.