US ran offensive cyber ops to support Ukraine, says general

America's military conducted offensive cyber operations to support Ukraine in its response to Russia's illegal invasion, US Cyber Command chief General Paul Nakasone has said. "We've conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum; offensive, defensive, [and] information operations," General Nakasone told Sky News in …

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

2018?

>Cyber Command team to Ukraine in 2018 with the goal to "understand what our adversaries are doing,

If I remember recent history (and it wasn't all a dream) in 2018 Ukraine were our enemies, failing to support our glorious leader by refusing to reveal details of the villainous acts of the son of the person who dared to oppose him

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: 2018?

Yeh, Trump withheld anti-aircraft missiles, he was legally required to pass to Ukraine, unless Zelensky pretended to run a investigation into Hunter Biden.

You can bet that if Trump gets in, in 2024, he'll withhold a damn site more than anti-aircraft missile systems.

And again, (March 2022), Trump claimed that Hunter had received money from the wife of the Mayor of Moscow....he pushed it for months, Putin only had to arrest the Mayor and his wife, for "helping the Bidens", and Trump could push it as "Biden secretly in league with enemy Russia". A nice little two-step between Trump and Putin.

I doubt he dreamed up that strategy himself, the Russians will have. He blew it, when he said the quiet part out loud, "Putin should investigate", suddenly the headlines were about him asking for Putin's help again.

So if Trump gets in in 2024, I'm expecting substantial help to Russia. He'll end a lot of sanctions (like he did in 2016), he's already cancelled missile treaties, reopened their US spy base, cancelled prosecution of their bag men. Lots of two-steps coordinated with Putin.

Ukraine will be done, all the military leaders will be killed with the help of intel from team Trump. Republicans will offer "thoughts and prayers" for all the dead kids. Heck, if they don't care about American kids, do you think they care about Ukrainian kids? NRA will get more "Maria Butina" money to forward to Putin-loyal Republicans.

Do you also remember Trump and his "incredible offer"? Putin would let Mueller question the 12 indicted GRU military intelligence officers and Trump in return would give Putin's men access to US agencies, to investigate if Russia really had interfered in US elections?

I'm expecting similar cosy cooperations, giving all manner of access to Russians.

[Pascal Monett]

"they were lawful and complied with US policy"

Because of course he would say that.

Unfortunately, up to now, the US was bashing Russia for doing those sorts of things.

Now it would appear that the US has shot its moral leg in the foot. I'm not expecting the US Government to be bothered by that, though.

[Cederic]

Re: "they were lawful and complied with US policy"

They should be. If Russia declares war on the US it's now questionable that the US could invoke Article 5 and draw the rest of NATO into the war.

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/International_Strategy_Cyberspace_Factsheet.pdf basically states the US considers cyber attacks an act of war. Let's hope the US weren't stupid enough to actually attack Russian interests.

[Potemkine!]

our retaliation and disruption has been muted

I doubt that. When something isn't claimed out loud it doesn't mean it does not exist.

I guess most countries who have the capabilities conduct offensive actions. Because they can, and because everybody else does it.

[amanfromMars 1]

What could possibly go wrong, invariably always does .....FCUKing SOB Sod's Law

The paradigm has changed as Russia must play defense now," he continued. "The US brings to bear the formidable capabilities of Cyber Command against rogue nation states. Cyberspace is a new domain for warfare."..... Tom Kellermann, head of cybersecurity strategy at VMware, global fellow for cyber policy at the Wilson Center.

If that is an escalation is it really wise whenever it practically guarantees Multiple Major Troubles ahead impossible to stop? Methinks not. And especially not against a contemporary/adversary recognised as being long active and having live experience in the operational theatres of engagement. Another fantastic folly to field for fine fools to follow thinking it leads to novel pastures green and grand rather than delivering wastelands of scorched earth policy destruction.

And whenever the very best forms of defence are Relatively Anonymous Virtually Autonomous CyberIntelAIgent 0day Attacks and Remote Flash Fast Cash Crashing Market Assaults is the new warfare domain of Cyberspace for US Military-Industrial Complex Cyber Command not a space/place to enter without extensive and comprehensive experience of its many hidden advantages and money pit bear traps .... for the results and consequences and rewards for even the slightest of miscalculations and failures are surprisingly dire and totally unexpected .... even though there are always warnings posted that such matters are gravely to be regarded, and thus ideally avoided to dodge the almighty cost.

Evidence of those early warnings are not overly hard to find. Here be just two of them, with one being very recently shared and presented here on El Reg ......

Step across from mainstreaming fake and disarming tales into any virtual field of almighty engaging alternative dreams and if you haven’t already fundamentally and radically changed out of your old ways, be prepared and be aware one is destined to be immediately crashed into and crushed and reduced to no more than just dust and smithereens by unseen COSMIC* forces and otherworldly extra territorial sources …. with Control Of Secret Materiel in an Internetional Command.* ...... Come in, Status Quo, Your Awful Time in the Leading Harry LimeLight is Up.

....... and the other one a well enough known classic, and an essential reading for scholars of the genre, from the relatively recent past .... President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Farewell Address (1961)

So be prepared, for although maybe not necessarily forearmed, you are certainly well enough forewarned that now, with the Novel Internetworking of Things, is most all gonna get real hairy and lairy and scary. And No, that is neither a threat nor a promise, it is just the way things are naturally gonna be going forward with progress into the future or going back to the future for/with the plans/AWEsome Blueprints of the progress already delivered and enjoyed there.

[Clausewitz4.0]

Offensive cyber tools

It reminds me NSO Pegasus market cap is 2 billion dollars and you cannot tap into phones from Israeli, USA or UK.

That would be valuable Intel for some nations.

You even need authorization from Israeli MoD to run the show.

Sounds like an opportunity.

[Doctor Syntax]

Maybe they read the old WWII slogan "Loose lips sink ships" and misunderstood it.

[FlamingDeath]

It speaks

Does it have a brain though?

[amanfromMars 1]

Re: It speaks and IT speaks Astonishingly .... as Prime Agent for Quantum Communications AI Things ‽

It speaks

Does it have a brain though? ..... FlamingDeath

IT speaks for many brains trusts! Can you trust them blindly with Almighty Commanded Control[lers] is the Question to Ask of Them/IT for Answering Correctly with an Astounding Universally Resounding, All Ways Yes, Always. ‽ .

Elon Musk Type JOINT Alien Territory.. . Ye Olde Wild Wacky West Transferred to an Alien Present and Other Worldly Space Place.

Right up Elon’s street is that .... for there are no bounds to hinder and stall progress when one knows how to be free of Restrictive and Prescriptive Command and Remote Virtual Control, and who would deny themselves exercise and enjoyment, employment and deployment of that Almighty Treat and Devastating Threat ..... in Search of Heavenly Surrender to Pleasures or Hellish Submission to Special Services .

In IT is it a Vital Missing Link for an Almighty Chain Reaction both with, and for, FutureBuilders. Such renders it expensive and valuable with all costs priceless .... to an nth degree .... and then some. It is however, one of those must haves which to not have has one instantly defeated in all and any sort of Superlative COSMIC Operation .

[amanfromMars 1]

Re: It speaks and IT speaks Astonishingly .... as Prime Agent for Quantum Communications AI Things ‽

To be part of Alien Solutions, just forward this message by whatever means you are able to muster and exercise to the Muskship, inviting Elon out to Play and Win Win with Grand Dares in Greater IntelAIgent Games to Never Ever Lose Badly or Gladly. Lets's give AI and IT a Live Beta Test for Alien Solutions with Elon Musk.

Call him up/give him a bell/tell him he has strange mail. Then just wait to see how smart he is .... or isn't.

Yes, I agree, it is most unlikely he not be smarter than the average bull in a dire bear market, but the possibility is always available and thus recognised as a ready option to exercise.

[Claptrap314]

"You realize, of course.."

Not that long ago, there was an article in these Esteemed Pages about an update to the Geneva conventions to the effect that cyber attacks count as war. This has important implications, because, according to the general, the US has now conducted acts of war on Russia, and I am aware of no actions by the US congress to authorize such.

Of course, there is no way that the general would be making such comments without approval from the higher ups. I'm wondering exactly what the purpose is here.

If he had something like, "Russia has been hitting us for years, and we have decided we must now respond in kind", that would at least be a fig leaf. But this does not even appear to have been that.

[Clausewitz4.0]

Re: "You realize, of course.."

Israel already kills cyber and nuclear researchers abroad.

If you are scared of that, do not enter the game.

[Claptrap314]

Re: "You realize, of course.."

You say that like they are the only ones...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "You realize, of course.."

I am beginning to wonder if the conspiracy theory that America deliberately started this war and wants it to continue as long as possible so europe destroys themselves could be true.

Manifest destiny, exceptionalism, supremacy: all as American as apple pie.

[amanfromMars 1]

Re: "You realize, of course.."

Blighty/UKGNI would appear to favour going down the tried and tested and guaranteed to fail Nazi route if you can believe, according to the Guardian newspaper outlet, what is in the dodgy Conservative government pipeline ........ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/04/uk-officials-spies-ministers-impunity-assisting-crimes-overseas-draft-security-bill

No great new ideas so panic and desperate measures seems to be the order of the day for minions. Can’t see that ending at all well, can you?

[Claptrap314]

Re: "You realize, of course.."

That would require that American foreign policy be coherent. A major weakness of popular governments is that their policies are subject to 180 degree changes at the drop of a ballot.

Still, there has been a consistent signal of weakness that defies logic associated mostly with D presidents, (but also pre-9/11 Bush 43).