As political tensions grow, Ukraine is facing troubles on an entirely new front: cyber-attacks launched at the country’s official internet portals.
While protests rage and Russian forces enter the Crimean peninsula, battles have already started on the digital front, with cyber-attacks blocking government communication. Over the past few days, members from either side of the Ukrainian parliament have reported that their mobile communication has been blocked in Crimea, which is currently under Russian control. According to Reuters, the report has been confirmed by Ukraine’s official security service.
According to the Ukrainian security service, equipment has been installed in areas of the Crimean peninsula which blocks access to Ukranian telecom provider Ukrtelecom. Although the security researchers are currently working on a way to divert this cyber-attack and restoring full communication to members of parliament, it’s not clear how quickly they will actually be able to undo the block.
Currently, the Crimean peninsula is the site of ongoing and rising tensions between the Ukraine and Russia.
