The military intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) launched a cyber attack against IPL Consulting, a Russian company that specialises in industry information systems. Source: Halfpoint/Shutterstock

In a recent operation, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has dealt a blow to Russia’s technological infrastructure.

The target of the cyber offensive was IPL Consulting, a company responsible for implementing information systems crucial to various sectors, including aviation, heavy engineering, and defence.

The DIU specialists executed a meticulous infiltration, breaching IPL Consulting’s internal network and executing an attack. The aftermath witnessed the obliteration of IPL’s entire IT infrastructure, comprising over 60 terabytes of data, numerous servers, and databases. The repercussions of this digital assault are reverberating across Russia as the full extent of data loss is still being calculated.

The Russia-Ukraine war is the first large-scale conflict in which cyber warfare was expected to play a significant role, according to “Thematic Research: Cybersecurity in Defense (2022)” report.

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Concentrated attacks such as this against Russian industry have demonstrated the vulnerabilities of Russian cyber infrastructure and will spur investments in strengthening and further isolating its cyber infrastructure against further attacks, according to GlobalData’s intelligence on the Russian defence market.

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This cyber offensive comes at a critical juncture amid heightened global sanctions against Russia. The inflicted damage strikes a particularly sensitive nerve, affecting not only IPL Consulting but also causing collateral damage to numerous Russian companies intricately linked to the defence industrial complex.

This development will not be welcome, as this time last year, Russia was also facing a setback in meeting the Kremlin’s military demands as its military-industrial output fell short. 

At the beginning of 2024, the State Security Service of Ukraine successfully repelled a series of Russian cyber attacks on the national mobile operator Kyivstar. 

As Ukraine navigates geopolitical challenges, this cyber operation underscores its commitment to defending its interests and striking back against aggressors.

The Netherlands recently pledged €10m ($10.9m) to Ukraine to enhance cybersecurity defences. The cybersecurity allocation aims to fortify online infrastructure targeted by hacking attempts since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

This recent cyber success adds a new dimension to the ongoing conflict, demonstrating that modern warfare is not confined to traditional battlefields but extends into the digital realm, where strategic cyber operations can be as impactful as boots on the ground.