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NATO Providing Cybersecurity Equipment To Ukraine (securityweek.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the foreign-aid dept.

wiredmikey "Ukraine is an area of great geopolitical significance -- a sort of buffer zone between NATO and Russia -- that both sides seek to influence," reports SecurityWeek. "Crimea aside, neither side wishes to be too overt with military intervention, and the result is tailor-made for modern cyber warfare... NATO's official policy towards Ukraine is to bolster its independence." As a result, NATO is providing Ukraine with cybersecurity equipment for some government institutions and authorities, which NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg says will enable Ukraine to investigate who is behind certain cyber-attacks, because the response to them is extremely important.

53 comments

  1. Happy Saturday from The Golden Girls! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Thank you for being a friend
    Traveled down the road and back again
    Your heart is true, you're a pal and a cosmonaut.

    And if you threw a party
    Invited everyone you knew
    You would see the biggest gift would be from me
    And the card attached would say, thank you for being a friend.

    1. Re: Happy Saturday from The Golden Girls! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Confidante" , not "cosmonaut" you dumb fuck.

  2. "Great geopolitical importance" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    No it isn't. This is a game, and people in Ukraine are being used as pawns.

    1. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 2

      Well, that's the great importance. Anyway, Ukraine was a major part of former Soviet economy. From the highest quality agricultural soils in the region to ICBM and orbital launcher development and manufacturing, it was no Siberian backwater for sure. Plus the sea access of course.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    2. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      That was once, but not anymore. Their manufacturing and agriculture haven't been updated since the late 1980ies. The industry is mostly dead - what could not be sold lies in ruins -
      and their agricultural produce varies from not very good to almost inedible, so they have to import food from Poland. I have visited most of eastern Europe and Ukraine was the poorest country so far.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    3. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by HornWumpus · · Score: 2, Interesting

      If we wanted to really change things, we'd send Ukraine a 1000 tons of steel and a ton of 'weapons grade'.

      They gave up their nukes in a deal with Russia. Russia has violated that agreement, they need a nuke or ten.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    4. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Of course. Potential and achievement are two different things. Ukraine had a shitton of bad luck so far. Still they're not to be dismissed as an economic entity in the region.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    5. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by quonset · · Score: 2, Informative

      Wow, nice spin job. Did you get those words from your handlers in St. Petersburg?

      Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and supporting terrorists therein, Russia hasn't been able to produce helicopters because the engines came from Ukraine. Even though Russia now claims it can produce the parts, it's only for a limited type of aircraft.

      Same for their icebreaker. It was supposed to be launched this year, but because of the sanctions, and the testing for the turbines being in Ukraine, the launch has been put off until 2019. If even then.

      Ukraine has been exporting more agricultural products since it got out from under the boot heel of Russia. Hardly a recipe for "inedible". Speaking of which, is Putin still destroying food being imported into Russia while shelves go bare just to make a statement?

      At least we know what the Russian talking points on Ukraine are. Anything to distract from Russian regions which are running out of money, not to mention Russia itself. Then again, when Russian workers aren't getting paid for months, that tells you all you need to know.

      Considering Ukraine is working with Western companies and actively seeking out advice on how to upgrade its industry and make it more efficient, that speaks volumes about its leadership. Compare that to Russia where Putin steals people's property and gives it to his oligarch buddies, or siphons off millions for his personal use, then whines how it's someone else's fault Russia is in such a sorry state of affairs.

    6. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by dunkelfalke · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Your words smell of an astroturfer far more than anything I've ever read on Slashdot, except I guess you have to do it for free.
      Anyway, all your ranting doesn't change the fact that Ukraine is in a worse shape than even Romania. I have visited both countries so I can compare.
      Romanian food was generally of a much better quality, by the way. And yes, if I ever visit Ukraine again, I'll take instant noodles with me, they are safer to eat for Europeans, who generally are accustomed to food safety.
      But never mind food, why exactly are you comparing the country you shill for with Russia? I mean, every point you make about them is even more so valid for Ukraine, but at least they have oil and gas, so they might turn things around. If you have to compare Ukraine with any country, then it would Belarus, but their economy does much better, and not just since 2014. Also their food quality was quite good the last time I have visited Minsk and the city itself was waaaaaaaaay cleaner than Kiew. Belarus border police wasn't very friendly, though, whereas I was sent through the diplomatic lane at the KBP as soon as I have waved with my German passport - that was the only nice thing happening to me during my stay.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    7. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by dunkelfalke · · Score: 3, Informative

      I wouldn't call it "bad luck", just an example of a country that tried to run its economy on nationalism instead of goods and services.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    8. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      A perfect description of the whole Soviet Union and partly its successors...

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    9. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      Russia's secret invasion of Ukraine? Was that when Victoria Nuland and Co. planned the coup to install fascists or before? https://youtu.be/KIvRljAaNgg

    10. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by dunkelfalke · · Score: 2

      Not at all. Soviet Union was a multi-ethnic state, running it on nationalism would have torn it apart - and this is exactly what happened when Gorbachev stopped suppressing nationalist movements. Its successors on the other hand often ran on nationalism resulting in several wars.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    11. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      The soviet nationalism was somewhat Umma-ish in the sense that it really didn't revolve as much about nation states as such but nevertheless there was a strong us-vs-them boundary coinciding with the geopolitical borders that was more important than the actual economic results. I'm acutely aware of it, having lived in the Eastern Bloc when it existed.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    12. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      I remember, jsi cesky. GDR here.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    13. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Robotron 1715 FTW! :)

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    14. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      No it isn't. This is a game, and people in Ukraine are being used as pawns.

      That's true. Trump supports Putin's Ukraine land grab, hates NATO, and now that the US is being bypassed, NATO is sending a message to dear leader.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    15. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by superwiz · · Score: 2

      Soviet what? What a soviet? Soviet Union was officially dissolved on December 26, 1991. That's over 25 years ago. It only existed for 73 years. Who cares about Soviet Union, Tsarist Russia, or anything else which hasn't existed for generations now. Russian Federation and Ukraine are separate independent countries. The fact that USSR contained both of them is no more relevant than the fact that Poland was once part of the Russian Empire. It's over... long time over.

      --
      Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
    16. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by superwiz · · Score: 1

      While ussr (let's keep in lower case just to show it the disrespect that it is due) was multi-ethnic, it was without a doubt Russian nationalist. There were 4 classes of citizens: Russians (1st class), individuals of other slavic ethnicities (2nd class), anyone from central Asia (3rd class) and Jews (4th class). Soviet Union has no successors. It split into its components. The mythology that there is some historic Russian Empire which included Ukraine and that Soviet Union was once its successor is just that -- a fantasy. It has no more validity than the idea that the caliphate will reformulate at some point. And since this mythology is mostly being peddled by the current administration of the Russian Federation, it is this myth which is nationalist propaganda designed to justify its invasion of Ukraine. In reality Kremlin invaded Ukraine to increase dwindling Russian population to fill in its demographic gap in the early 90s and mid 90s generation. There is only 145 mil people living in the Russian Federation. Any idea that 45 million of people living in Ukraine will somehow want to join them to be their servants is bombastic fantasy not based in reality.

      --
      Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
    17. Re:"Great geopolitical importance" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would hope Trump hated NATO.
      A message to NATO : please follow Trump's supposed example, and hate NATO i.e. yourself. Launch a media campaign about NATO committing war crimes because they use bomber planes for their intended purpose, then bomb yourself, so that you can justify the military budgets in a less dangerous and more effective way. Then claim that NATO is guilty of war crimes because of bombing itself, and launch a new media/war campaign to bomb yourself so as to correct the situation.

    18. Re: "Great geopolitical importance" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Belarus was very clean, and empty. Food was basic but Ok. Loads of horses and carts suggested a rather backward economy though.

  3. "Cybersecurity equipment"? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 2

    Mechanical typewriters? They already have those. ;)

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
    1. Re:"Cybersecurity equipment"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mechanical typewriters? They already have those. ;)

      Lets not manufacture a false image of technical deficiency, they have electric typewriters. :-)

    2. Re:"Cybersecurity equipment"? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      My question as well - what is 'cybersecurity equipment'? Thousands of servers preloaded w/ OpenBSD?

    3. Re:"Cybersecurity equipment"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I use OpenBSD everyday ; I put all my most important, critical, private and personal data here, on an ftp server protected by password authentication. To the best of my knowledge, I've never been hacked.

    4. Re:"Cybersecurity equipment"? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Right, so is that what Ukraine is being given?

  4. Russians don't hack, ask a Trumpy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    All of this is a hoax being perpetrated by Obama's old guard, what Ukraine REALLY needs is deregulation of lobbyists and a big tax break for billionaires...

  5. Hahahaha! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    The Ukrainians are so primitive that they haven't even invented the wheel!

    If not for the USSR, they would still be feasting on the flesh of long pig!

    They are savages, and should be left to their own devices.

    All hail Nyarlathotep.

    1. Re:Hahahaha! by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 1

      Hey now! Long pig males for the BEST bacon!

    2. Re:Hahahaha! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      If you think Ukraine is so great... look at Chernobyl. That's like the Detroit of nuclear facilities.

  6. Closing the barn doors... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: -1, Troll

    They should send in the UN soldiers to get shot at with virtual bullets.

  7. Salo - tldr by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    All you need to know about Ukraine - salo.

  8. False my dear komrade by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Their government was basically a russian Puppet regime. Of course they wanted them to be kept down.
    If by nationalism you mean independence then yes, very "nationalistic".
    So bad of Deutschland to want to gain "nationalism" from the Habsburgs, or the americans from the british ! Isn't that so, komrade ?

    1. Re:False my dear komrade by dunkelfalke · · Score: 2

      No, I mean nationalism. We Germans know very well what happens if one tries to run a country on that. Not a good idea at all.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    2. Re:False my dear komrade by perpenso · · Score: 1

      No, I mean nationalism. We Germans know very well what happens if one tries to run a country on that. Not a good idea at all.

      France happens. Is that so bad? :-)

      The problems you refer to are not simply born of nationalism. Nationalism was but one theme in a rather toxic brew. One that was misused and is not inherently bad.

    3. Re:False my dear komrade by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      Yep, because Napoleon.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    4. Re:False my dear komrade by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      @dunkelfalke you simply do not understand what the word national(ism) means.
      Napoleon came *after* the 1789 revolution and ruled for a short period of time, easy solution to blame everything on 1 guy don't you think ?
      Nation states are a good idea (look at Europa), they are stable. Empires not so much.
      You keep equating nationalism with it's most extreme possible example. Trauma i guess though you probably were not alive back them so .. weird.

    5. Re:False my dear komrade by perpenso · · Score: 1

      Yep, because Napoleon.

      Despite the fact that I was only referring to modern 20th century nations ... I still wish I could moderate your reply as "insightful". :-)

    6. Re:False my dear komrade by MightyMartian · · Score: 0

      He ruled in one form.or another for two decades and during that time largely remade Europe. Even in defeat ideas like the Napoleonic Code and constitutional government (if at times still supporting authoritarian regimes) spread across the Continent. Napoleon is probably one of the most influential.men in European history.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  9. Mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    mod parent up

  10. ahem ahem apples and oranges by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Both us romanians and belarus too have (semi)independent governments, the ukrainians were administrated by russian KGB peeps which are not known for anything else but ruthlesness. With time things will improve for them too. Basically they were a colony of the Tzar, so there is really no comparison !!!

    1. Re:ahem ahem apples and oranges by dunkelfalke · · Score: 2

      Dude, what are you smoking?
      Belarus as a country has existed about as long as Ukraine, except Lukashenko has been the president (or rather king, because he will probably pass the throne to his son) of Belarus since 1994.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
  11. Proxy war by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ukraine is the site of the first cyber proxy war between the USA and Russia.

  12. what are you drinking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What are *you* drinking? Kremlin vodka perhaps? Which part of what I said was unclear or incorrect? Also Ukraine existed as a state way before many other countries including Russia. Belarus, while young, was still more independent than Ukraine in relation to the Tzars.

  13. How the weather in Moscow, komrade ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    How the weather in Moscow, komrade ?

    1. Re:How the weather in Moscow, komrade ? by superwiz · · Score: 1

      While I don't like the militarism of the current Russian state, I take issue with calling people in it comrades. US Democratic Party has more "comrades" in it than the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation is committed to a capitalist economy. The Democratic Party is pushing for more and control of the industry by the Democratic Party bureaucrats. It's probably why they try to lumb Republicans and Russians together in this modern fantasy of collusion. They see an ideological enemy in both of them.

      --
      Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
    2. Re:How the weather in Moscow, komrade ? by gDLL · · Score: 1

      The komrades are not the people. The komrades are the members/militants of the ruling class, the hands of the emperor. This has nothing to do with capitalism. I'm sure you're right about your US Democratic Party.

    3. Re:How the weather in Moscow, komrade ? by superwiz · · Score: 1

      No, "comrade" is just a weaker form of "friend". It's somewhere around "buddy". It was used as a formal greeting meant to convey familiarity in the Soviet Union. "Comrade" is an English word, but has never been in common use as a greeting. Russians wouldn't have the first idea of what you said if you said that word itself. It's a translation of a Russian word into a close-by-meaning, but less-commonly-used English equivalent. Spanish "amigo" probably better conveys the meaning of the Russian word that "comrade" is supposed to translate. In post-Soviet Russia, "tovarisch" has been phased out of formal use. So an entire generation (and a half) has already grown Russia without using that word as normative for anything. People who try to ascribe to Russians some sort of Soviet tendencies come off lightly deranged.

      --
      Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
  14. LOL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can you read yourself ? "this is what happend when Gorbachev stopped supressing nationalists" ... omg he stopped from the kilings and deportations and *just look* at the tragedy !! I mean seriously how imperialistic do you have to be ??
    A multi-ethnic state is called an *empire*.
    Some of us are not imperialists but rather choose nation-states.

    1. Re:LOL by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      Ah yes, the great Swiss empire. Nationalists wanting their own nation states were the ones who killed. Like in Yugoslavia. Or the Karabakh war.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    2. Re:LOL by qaz123 · · Score: 2

      What deportations did Gorbachev stop? Deportations were under Stalin. It's like 40 years before Gorbachev

  15. WTF ? by gDLL · · Score: 1

    Yeah great example because all the world can be like the Swiss, right ? Right? But ok keep going what others have you got ? Luxembourg ? Lichtenstein ? Oh i know ! The VATICAN !!!!! Clearly multi-ethnic. My turn: the British empire/United Kingdom. The Russian empire. China. The Ottoman empire. The Habsburg empire. The Any Empire. But sure what are those compared to the Swiss and the Vatican. When you mix ethnicities you get bloodshed, I dare you to say it's not true.

  16. Can we keep some to ourselves? by iamacat · · Score: 1

    As last election shows, our own cybersecurity is not great. Why don't we focus on that rather than medling in every regional conflict in the world?