In this particular documentary version of ThreatWise TV, we check out the individuals behind Talos’ efforts to guard Ukrainian crucial infrastructure, and focus on the private impression on the groups concerned. Contains photos of warfare that some viewers could discover upsetting.
Just over a yr in the past, the information started to emerge that Russia declared warfare on Ukraine. A full-scale land, air, and sea invasion started.
Just a few months prior, throughout the build-up, the Cisco Talos workforce carefully monitored the scenario. We thought primarily in regards to the security of our colleagues and companions based mostly within the area.
Not too removed from the backs of our minds had been the relentless and focused cyberattacks towards Ukraine over the previous seven plus years, which had wreaked havoc on their infrastructure.
As extra tanks arrived on the border, the Talos workforce questioned about an invisible warfare. A sort of warfare that doesn’t require anybody to step in a constructing however could possibly be leveraged to destabilize Ukraine’s crucial infrastructure.
From November 2021, we readied ourselves to assist our Ukrainian companions, wherever it was wanted.
The story of Talos’ relationship with Ukraine goes again a few years.
In 2015, Russian adversaries used harmful malware to trigger blackouts throughout Ukraine. That identical group was discovered to be answerable for many different destabilizing assaults, together with makes an attempt to disrupt elections in France, the NotPetya assault which brought on billions of {dollars} in harm around the globe, and Olympic Destroyer, the place harmful malware was used to interrupt the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in South Korea.
After the Black Energy assaults, Talos reached out to our gross sales workforce based mostly in Ukraine. We needed to see if we might develop ties with key cybersecurity companions, authorities companies, and safety researchers who had been based mostly there. And discover out methods we might assist shield towards cyber assaults from our frequent adversaries.
Our Ukrainian companions wanted to be taught to belief us. But belief us they did. The bonds that we now have created with these individuals are inherently robust, and it’s one of many the explanation why the invasion of Ukraine feels so deeply private to us.
About three months earlier than the Russian invasion, and witnessing the construct up, the workforce reached out and provided help to our Ukrainian companions. Evacuation plans for Cisco workers based mostly within the nation started to take form.
Once the invasion began, Cisco prolonged a suggestion to Ukrainian governmental organizations and significant infrastructure. We would provide them with our safety software program and providers freed from cost, in addition to devoted menace hunters. There was no definitive finish date to this provide.
Hundreds of individuals throughout Cisco additionally acquired in contact with Talos to supply their help, from creating refugee packages, to contributing to open-source intelligence.
Our dedication to defending Ukrainian crucial infrastructure from cyberattacks continues. We hope that peace and luxury come shortly to our Ukrainian pals, companions, and allies.
It has been a very emotional and difficult journey for everybody in Talos and Cisco who’re a part of these efforts. It stays so.
I’m proud to assist inform their story.
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