Defense Ministry developing legislative definition for term ‘cyberwarfare’

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is currently developing a legislative definition for the term “cyberwarfare”. The implementation of this step at the legislative level is important in countering cyber threats.

According to Ukrinform, this issue was discussed at the All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference "Current Problems of State Information Security Management" organized by the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine, the press service of the Ministry of Defense reports.

"The Ministry of Defense has initiated research work on defining the concept of cyberwarfare, which is being carried out by the Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine. I am convinced that these developments will enable us and other government agencies to formulate legislative proposals by the end of 2024," said Deputy Minister of Defense Kateryna Chernohorenko.

The defense ministry's press service stressed that since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, SBU specialists have neutralized nearly 10,000 cyberattacks.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, the state's defense capabilities were not affected by the high intensity of the attacks.

"Such results were achieved due to effective cooperation between specialists of the State Special Communications Service, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council, the Cyber Police, the Armed Forces and other government agencies," he emphasized.

The Ministry of Defense noted that since the aggressor's actions in cyberspace are systematic and aimed not only at Ukraine but also at its allies, following the definition of the term "cyberwarfare" at the national legislative level, the recognition of cyberattacks as an act of war in the legal field should also take place at the international level.

As reported by Ukrinform, on the morning of March 28, Ukrainian TV channels were targeted by an enemy cyberattack, which resulted in the broadcast of Russian propaganda content.