Cyber battle apparently under way in Russia-Ukraine conflict

so this will be the 550 GCHQ JTRIG'ers doing False Flag?

Snowden's docu-cache revealed the Government Communications HQ Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group has fully trained 150 operatives (in 2013).

The GCHQ documents helpfully explained further that another 400 operatives were coming online.

These 550 who are trained in False Flag cyberwar & False Rescue & everything else cyber-bad you can imagine can logically control sock-puppet "10 plausible identities per workstation" (at least)

It's therefore highly likely that GCHQ JTRIG is currently attacking UA on behalf-of or in proxy for RU; as when GCHQ deploy this magnitude of Cyberwarriors to attack social media or whatever they view today as legitimate targets - for the average internet user it means we can no longer believe what we read, as there are so many smoke & mirror operatives deployed that almost anything "CYBER" can be made-up. In fact I don't even believe this opinion comment and I think I wrote it!

I certainly won't believe whatever the next 5500 commentards say in reply to this as I know where they work! I don't believe that UA is being attacked by RU unless I can see the .pcap files and you show me what the UK JTRIG operatives were doing all day instead of causing false-flag cyberwar!

the only good thing about False-Flag cyberwar & social media manipulation by JTRIG & no-doubt the FSB equivalent is that once we know that it is available and being used, then this stops most of us believing what is claimed.

/rant

Aha I see .... their security systems were only prepared for the more friendly kind of aggressor who does not brazenly violate the law but asks politely whether he can invade your country, and certainly wouldn't tamper with your phone systems unless he had your explicit permission.

Dr Who,

I suspect Ukraine's cyber defence systems aren't very well funded. Their government finances would probably be pretty sad, even if their last few governments hadn't been horribly corrupt.

But I suspect the thing they weren't prepared for was their internal systems to be captured on day one of conflct. Normally planners expect a build-up to hostilities. Total surprise invasions are pretty rare, as there's normally a build-up to conlict, where both sides do a bit of negotiating. Or at least a build-up of tension. Which gives the defences times to get prepared, and the diplomats time to strut their funky stuff - and try to avoid trouble.

But in this case there was a bit of Russian unhappiness, followed by Russian mobilisation (or "military exercises"), and invasion on the same day. And Ukraine was at the second disadvantage of being in the middle of forming a government at the time as well.

It's easier to defend against an external attacker than it is to deal with one in physical control of some of your own networks. And that would be true even if Ukraine was a match for Russia's capabilities, which I severely doubt it is.

Look, the Russian hackers aren't Russian hackers because Putin has categorically not deployed Russian hackers; they're just concerned Ukrainian hacker groups whose T-shirts look like Russian hackers.

If there were Russian hackers (which there aren't), they're only on the network to protect it from fascists and anti-Semites.

Love and kisses and wishes for a peaceful solution;

Don Putin.

"Aha I see .... their security systems were only prepared for the more friendly kind of aggressor"

Like all IT security systems they weren't prepared for a rival government to have full physical access.

Once someone has physical access to your machine, it doesn't matter who you are or how well prepared: It's not your system any more, it's theirs.

Re: Times change

Not really, it may have played well in the CIS but all the coverage I saw in France and the UK were constantly giving Putin and the games a lot of stick.

Re: Got to love Putin.....

My mother ... I'll tell you about my mother!

Re: Got to love Putin.....

If Putin wants to show how macho he is why can't he just follow the traditional route and get himself 50 concubines and father hordes of bastards? Much cheaper (and more fun) than demonstrating that he's all man and not-at-all-in-any-way-a-gay-icon by invading the neighbours.

Re: Okay...

That's not so much contentious as incomprehensible.

Re: It was only a matter of time...

"As for the claim that CGHQ is involved - what is the motivation?"

Not a thick enough layer of tinfoil in the OP's hat.

Re: It was only a matter of time...

@smackbean

This is the one good thing that has come out of the crisis. Russia has shown itself for what it really is. The same kind of antics we hear about in their domestic sphere now extend to their international actions.

It almost makes me laugh (I'm too terrified) when the Russian nationalists in Krim excuse their actions by saying Kiev was taken over by ... wait for it ... nationalists. Their view of history is a tiny bit skewed, ignoring that many of the Russians now living as minorities in the ex-Soviet states are the result of Stalin's russification effort: sending entire populations to Siberia and transplanting Russians in their place. But history is history. I actually hope they get their way, provided the secession happens peacefully and isn't too much of a repeat of that one time someone decided all Germans must live in one country. It must be great to live in Russia, may their dreams come true.

If/when and however painfully the Russian minority issue is eventually resolved in Ukraine and a bunch of other places (it's not just Krim, see South Ossetia, Abhkazia and other Russian majority enclaves), the people there will have a much stronger sense of national identity, one largely defined by being non-Russian. Way to go, Putin.

We (as NATO) can also limit their access to the Med.

Turkey is well within rights to close the Helspont to military vessels.