Posted on Oct 30, 2022
Inside a US military cyber team’s defence of Ukraine
327
14
6
4
4
0
Russia failed to take down Ukrainian computer systems with a massive cyber-attack when it invaded this year, despite many analysts' predictions. The work of a little-known arm of the US military which hunts for adversaries online may be one reason. The BBC was given exclusive access to the cyber-operators involved in these global missions.
In early December last year, a small US military team led by a young major arrived in Ukraine on a reconnaissance trip ahead of a larger deployment. But the major quickly reported that she needed to stay.
"Within a week we had the whole team there ready to go hunting," one of the team recalls.
They had come to detect Russians online and their Ukrainian partners made it clear they needed to start work straight away.
"She looked at the situation and told me the team wouldn't leave," Maj Gen William J Hartman, who heads the US Cyber National Mission Force, told the BBC.
"We almost immediately got the feedback that 'it's different in Ukraine right now'. We didn't redeploy the team, we reinforced the team."
In early December last year, a small US military team led by a young major arrived in Ukraine on a reconnaissance trip ahead of a larger deployment. But the major quickly reported that she needed to stay.
"Within a week we had the whole team there ready to go hunting," one of the team recalls.
They had come to detect Russians online and their Ukrainian partners made it clear they needed to start work straight away.
"She looked at the situation and told me the team wouldn't leave," Maj Gen William J Hartman, who heads the US Cyber National Mission Force, told the BBC.
"We almost immediately got the feedback that 'it's different in Ukraine right now'. We didn't redeploy the team, we reinforced the team."
Inside a US military cyber team’s defence of Ukraine
Posted from bbc.com
Cyber
Russia
Ukraine
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
Ahh... the CNMF. Spend many a day up there back under MG Nakasone (I was his J5/7).
We've (the US Military) have actually been involved with Ukraine on numerous cyber exercises in the past though the National Guard's State Partnership Program*
-----------------------
* latest example - https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2971781/ukraine-california-ties-show-worth-of-national-guard-program/, but there have been numerous before that.
We've (the US Military) have actually been involved with Ukraine on numerous cyber exercises in the past though the National Guard's State Partnership Program*
-----------------------
* latest example - https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2971781/ukraine-california-ties-show-worth-of-national-guard-program/, but there have been numerous before that.
Ukraine-California Ties Show Worth of National Guard Program
The California National Guard has had a close working relationship with the Ukraine military and the Ukraine National Guard since 1993.
(3)
(0)
(1)
(0)
COL Randall C.
"Sea Service Cyber Warrior" ... it's been a number of years since I traded info with my sister service, but back for the Navy, 'cyber' was heavily focused on electronic warfare for the at the fleet/service level.
Just looked over Warrior Maven and apparently about four years ago they started putting 'cyber warrior' at sea with the fleet.
Good for the Navy. The rest of the services were waiting for you to catch-up! 8P
Just looked over Warrior Maven and apparently about four years ago they started putting 'cyber warrior' at sea with the fleet.
Good for the Navy. The rest of the services were waiting for you to catch-up! 8P
(1)
(0)
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
COL Randall C. - Electronic Warfare? Green Hat? I wore a Green Hat at the end of My Career, Combat Systems Training Team for Electronic and Information Warfare! LOL!
(1)
(0)
3
3
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."This January, the team in Ukraine were trying to avoid slipping on icy pavements when a series of major cyber-attacks hit. "Be afraid and expect the worst," read a message posted by hackers on the Foreign Ministry website.
The US team watched in real-time as a wave of so-called wiper software, which renders computers unusable, hit multiple government websites.
"They were able to assist in analysing some of the ongoing attacks, and facilitate that information being shared back to partners in the United States," Gen Hartman says.
The aim was to destabilise the country ahead of the February invasion.
By the time Russian troops flooded over the border, the US team had been pulled out. Knowledge of the physical risk for their Ukrainian partners who remained weighed heavily on them.
Hours before the invasion began on 24 February, a cyber-attack crippled a US satellite communications provider that supported the Ukrainian military. Many predicted this would be the start of a wave of attacks to take down key areas like railways. But that did not happen.
"One of the reasons the Russians may not have been so successful is that the Ukrainians were better prepared," says Gen Hartman.
"There's a lot of pride in the way they were able to defend. A lot of the world thought they would just be run over. And they weren't," says Al, a senior technical analyst who was part of the Ukrainian deployment team. "They resisted."
Ukraine has been subject to continued cyber-attacks which, if successful, could have affected infrastructure. But the country it has continued to defend better than many expected. Ukrainian officials have said that this has been in part thanks to help from allies, including US Cyber Command and the private sector as well as their own growing experience. Now, the US and other allies are turning to the Ukrainians to learn from them.
"We continue to share information with the Ukrainians, they continue to share information with us," explains Gen Hartman. "That's really the whole idea of that enduring partnership."
With Ukrainian and Western intelligence officials expressing concerns that Moscow may respond to recent military setbacks by escalating its cyber-attacks, it is a partnership that may still face further tests."
..."This January, the team in Ukraine were trying to avoid slipping on icy pavements when a series of major cyber-attacks hit. "Be afraid and expect the worst," read a message posted by hackers on the Foreign Ministry website.
The US team watched in real-time as a wave of so-called wiper software, which renders computers unusable, hit multiple government websites.
"They were able to assist in analysing some of the ongoing attacks, and facilitate that information being shared back to partners in the United States," Gen Hartman says.
The aim was to destabilise the country ahead of the February invasion.
By the time Russian troops flooded over the border, the US team had been pulled out. Knowledge of the physical risk for their Ukrainian partners who remained weighed heavily on them.
Hours before the invasion began on 24 February, a cyber-attack crippled a US satellite communications provider that supported the Ukrainian military. Many predicted this would be the start of a wave of attacks to take down key areas like railways. But that did not happen.
"One of the reasons the Russians may not have been so successful is that the Ukrainians were better prepared," says Gen Hartman.
"There's a lot of pride in the way they were able to defend. A lot of the world thought they would just be run over. And they weren't," says Al, a senior technical analyst who was part of the Ukrainian deployment team. "They resisted."
Ukraine has been subject to continued cyber-attacks which, if successful, could have affected infrastructure. But the country it has continued to defend better than many expected. Ukrainian officials have said that this has been in part thanks to help from allies, including US Cyber Command and the private sector as well as their own growing experience. Now, the US and other allies are turning to the Ukrainians to learn from them.
"We continue to share information with the Ukrainians, they continue to share information with us," explains Gen Hartman. "That's really the whole idea of that enduring partnership."
With Ukrainian and Western intelligence officials expressing concerns that Moscow may respond to recent military setbacks by escalating its cyber-attacks, it is a partnership that may still face further tests."
(3)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google