Ukraine has banned the installation and use of the messaging app Telegram on work cell phones. This applies not only to officials and the military, but also to companies in the defense and arms sector, as well as operators of critical infrastructure (KRITIS). The measure serves counter-intelligence and military national defense.
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The head of Ukraine’s counterintelligence department “gave ample evidence that the Russian secret services have access to personal Telegram correspondence, even deleted messages, as well as personal data of users,” one said. official announcement. Representatives of the armed forces and the domestic secret service also described how Russia was using Telegram for active attacks: Among other things, Russia used Telegram to spread malware, conduct phishing campaigns, determine the whereabouts of users and adapt rocket attacks accordingly.
Therefore, the National Coordination Center for IT Security decided to ban Telegram from work cell phones last weekend. Ukraine has had to defend itself from Russian military attacks for years; since February 2022 Russia has been trying to occupy all of Ukraine and is constantly destroying civilian facilities. This resulted in the deaths of countless civilians and forced many Ukrainians to flee.
Exceptions to the ban are provided for official matters; Telegram is an effective means for Ukrainian authorities to provide information to their population, from the president down. According to media reports, Telegram has said it will not release any data to the authorities – but Telegram is currently considering changing this. Messages, once deleted, cannot be restored.
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Group photo with woman: Meeting of the Ukrainian National Coordination Center for IT Security on September 19, 2024
(Image: National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine)
The Ukrainian IT Security Council made further decisions at the meeting. A nationwide initiative aims to attract more women to work in the field of IT security. Gender equality should help. An automated “cyber tracker” aims to track the implementation of the Ukrainian IT security strategy and thus accelerate its implementation.
The country’s telecommunications network operators, which are constantly exposed to Russian attacks with weapons, malware and social engineering, will jointly create a facility to share and analyze IT threats. In addition, measures are planned to ensure the operation of telecommunications networks during frequent power cuts. Further decisions regarding Ukrainian IT security were made at a secret meeting.
(DS)
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