ZDnet: Russian hackers’ lack of success against Ukraine shows that strong cyber defences work, says cybersecurity chief

In the face of the ‘most sustained and intensive cyber campaign on record’, Ukraine shows that a sound cybersecurity strategy can protect assets in even the most trying circumstances, says NCSC boss.

Russia has engaged in a sustained, malicious cyber campaign against Ukraine and its allies since the February 24 invasion – but its lack of success shows that it’s possible to defend against cyberattacks, even against some of the most sophisticated and persistent attackers.

In the run-up to and since the invasion of Ukraine, the country has been hit by a series of cyberattacks that have been attributed to Russia. These include distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against the Ukranian government and financial sector, as well as wiper malware campaigns designed to destroy systems by rendering them unusable.

But if the Ukrainian cyber defence teaches us a wider lesson – for military theory and beyond – it is that, in cybersecurity, the defender has significant agency. In many ways you can choose how vulnerable you can be to attacks, – Lindy C. Cameron, CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – the cyber arm of GCHQ.