LONDON – As Russia began military operations against Ukraine, several cyber strikes rocked the country early on Thursday, knocking off critical Ukrainian government websites. The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers' website, as well as those of the ministries of foreign affairs, infrastructure, education, and others, were all unavailable.

"A data-wiping tool was found on hundreds of machines in Ukraine, according to cybersecurity analysts, in a separate and potentially more serious hacking event hours earlier," the report stated.

This aroused fears that a devastating cyberattack was taking place in the midst of Russia's military buildup.  "We are aware of multiple commercial and government organisations in Ukraine that have been impacted by the destructive malware today." Charles Carmakal, senior vice president and chief technology officer for cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said, "We are aware of multiple commercial and government organisations in Ukraine that have been impacted by the destructive malware today." Russian cyber activities will very certainly be used in connection with military action in Ukraine, according to US sources.

If Russia conducts future cyberattacks in Ukraine, President Joe Biden stated last month that the US could respond with its own cyberoperations. The destructive data-wiping tool known as "wiper" malware, however, had the potential to be the most damaging of all the cyber disasters. According to cybersecurity firm ESET, which has many clients in Ukraine, the malicious code infected "major organisations" in the nation, according to the report.

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