Volunteer hackers set to defend Ukraine against Russia, official says

Thousands of volunteer hackers and IT specialists from across the world are assisting Ukraine’s defence, with some targeting Russian firms with cyberattacks, according to a senior Ukrainian government cybersecurity official on Friday.

According to Victor Zhora, an official at the Ukrainian cybersecurity agency charged with protecting government networks, Russian media outlets that are “constantly lying to their citizens,” as well as financial and transportation organisations supporting the war effort, are among the potential targets for digital attacks from the so-called Ukrainian “IT army.”

The “IT army” is a loose band of Ukrainian citizens and foreigners who are not part of the Ukrainian government, but are encouraged by Kyiv. It exemplifies how the Ukrainian government is going to great lengths to impede Russia’s military onslaught, as well as how cyberattacks have played a supporting role in the fight.

The purpose of Ukraine’s “IT army” is to “do everything possible … to make [the] aggressor feel uncomfortable with their actions in cyberspace and in Ukrainian land,” Zhora said in a video conference Friday.

Hacktivists of many shades — from anti-war Belarusians to self-described Russian vigilante hackers — have entered the information battle and claimed to have hacked their opponents.

The website of Russia’s national news agency, TASS, was hacked on Monday and momentarily displayed a statement referring to Russian losses in the Ukraine war and criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin. Though it was unclear who was behind the attack, the Anonymous hacker collective’s logo appeared on the TASS website.

Last Saturday, Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, tweeted a link to a list of potential targets, which included major Russian energy and banking firms.

Zhora said that any hacking carried out by the “IT army” was defensive in nature, and that the Ukrainian government does not accept responsibility for cyberattacks carried out by volunteers on Russian organisations.

Despite Russian shelling of important Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian cybersecurity officials continue to defend government networks, according to Zhora.

Zhora stated that “we are not afraid” of any escalation in cyberspace from Russia.

“We are much more afraid of missiles targeting Ukrainian schools, hospitals, and residential districts,” he continued.