How to behave in a hybrid war from the perspective of an IT company

There is no need to be afraid because the information and recommendations I mention in the article apply to everyone who processes some information and uses technology. So basically everyone.

Information

Information moves the world, and whether it is true or false, it can influence people's thinking and behavior. Disinformation is an instrument of hybrid war, which aims to influence social and political thinking in the country, thus destabilizing and "conquering" it without the use of military force (eg. the annexation of Crimea) or preparing the ground for a real invasion (now Ukraine). The information war thus began long before the invasion and is taking place not only in Ukraine, Russia, but also in our country (according to surveys, one in four Slovaks thinks that NATO / USA is to blame for the invasion of Ukraine). Access to the right information can also overthrow dictatorial regimes, and Russia will realize this, as it has begun to block social networks on its territory and may soon disconnect from the global Internet.

How can you fight in the information war:

• flag false and unsubstantiated information on social networks,
• not to support their sharing, probably does not help the opposing comment, as this will increase the impact the reach,
• support the creation of independent journalism by subscription (eg. Dennik N, Sme, Aktuality, etc.),
• support the sharing of truthful information in their area,
• evaluate information from more resources and work with them only when they are verified,
• think critically and lead your children to it, because soon they will also evaluate the information.

Technology

Technologies also play an important role, e.g. Russia's disconnection from the SWIFT system is one of the most significant sanctions and basically only means the disconnection of Russian banks from the global information system. On the other hand, Ukraine was the target of 10,000 cyber attacks a day last year. However, we cannot pretend that this does not apply to us.

What can you do in terms of technology:

• protect your corporate and private accounts (eg. changing passwords, two-step verification),
• regularly update software on your computer and mobile phone,
• if you decide to engage in retaliatory DDoS attacks, check which sites you are targeting, whether it is effective and whether you are no longer harming the Russian citizens who are not the target

What else can you do if you develop software like us:

• create safe and secure software,
• be vigilant against attacks on your infrastructure / applications,
• don't do bussiness with Russian companies, although it will soon be almost impossible due to cutting Russia off from the rest of the world.