Trace Id is missing

The cyber and influence operations of the war in Ukraine’s digital battlefield

Download
Share
An illustration of a server with a padlock on it.

What we have learned about nation state tactics so far and what may be on the horizon

Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, many observers expected that a Russian-led hybrid war, like that observed when Russia invaded Donbas and illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, would involve: marrying cyber weapons, influence operations, and military force to swiftly overrun Ukrainian defenses.

  • Marrying cyber weapon.
  • Influence operations.
  • Military force to swiftly overrun Ukrainian defenses.
A hexagon shaped blue and yellow hexagon

Defending Ukraine: Early Lessons from the Cyber War

The latest findings in our ongoing threat intelligence efforts in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and a series of conclusions from its first four months reinforces the need for ongoing and new investments in technology, data, and partnerships to support governments, companies, NGOs, and universities.
Learn more

Now, one year after its full-scale invasion, Russia’s military has indeed wrought physical devastation in Ukraine but has not achieved its objectives—in part because Moscow’s parallel cyber and influence operations have largely failed.

Related articles

Protect your organization from ransomware

Get a glimpse of the criminal players who operate within the underground ransomware economy. We’ll help you understand the motivations and mechanics of ransomware attacks and provide you with best practices for protection as well as backup and recovery.
Learn more

Behind the scenes with cybercrime and counter ransomware expert Nick Carr

Nick Carr, Cybercrime Intelligence Team Lead at the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center, discusses ransomware trends, explains what Microsoft is doing to protect customers from ransomware, and describes what organizations can do if they’ve been affected by it.
Learn more

Propaganda in the digital age: How cyber influence operations erode trust

Survey the world of cyber influence operations, where nation states distribute propaganda designed to threaten the trustworthy information democracy requires to flourish.
Learn more

Follow Microsoft Security