Technology Record - Issue 31: Winter 2023

136 cyberweapon against Ukraine. This marked the start of multiple waves of cyber destructive, espionage and foreign influence campaigns designed to cripple Ukraine and undermine the unity of its allies. Microsoft’s security experts were among the first to detect the Foxblade attack and have since been pivotal in helping Ukraine and its allies to withstand a high percentage of these attacks by using advanced cyberthreat intelligence, AI, new analytics tools, broad data sets and internetconnected end-point protection. “Microsoft is helping to shield digital assets and keep Ukraine’s critical infrastructure up and running to protect its citizens,” says Arthur. Collaborating to counteract cybercrime The cyber war between Russia and Ukraine also demonstrates why bi-directional partnerships between the public, private, academic and non-profit sectors are essential for building resilient cyber defences against malicious actors. “Hackers and nation state adversaries are exceptionally skilled and very well resourced, and they’re only going to become more sophisticated and ambitious as they continue to capitalise on new technologies,” says Arthur. “No technology provider can overcome cybersecurity challenges on its own; we need strong public-private partnerships to address the complexities and inherent global nature of cybercrime. We’re all in this together.” According to Arthur, partnerships act as a “force multiplier” for every stakeholder involved in the cybersecurity space. “By sharing threat intelligence and insights into trends, we can all fully understand the local, national and international cybercrime landscape and accelerate the development of innovative solutions that will fulfil organisations’ end-to-end security needs,” he explains. “Collaborating also helps us to establish common cybersecurity standards and regulations. For example, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit has developed deep relationships with security teams across Microsoft, and with law enforcement, security firms, researchers, nongovernmental organisations and customers to increase both our scale and impact when fighting cybercrime. Together, we can create a united front against cybercrime for the good of the world.” FEATURE We asked selected partners how they are using Microsoft technologies to help governmental organisations to better protect citizens’ data against the increasing risks posed by cybercriminals Partner perspectives “Threat actors are employing more sophisticated tactics and shifting from targeting the machine to targeting the human, but traditional technical security measures often fall short in detecting and mitigating these new risks. In response, organisations must rely on security awareness and their people. We offer advanced tools and up-to-date educational content tailored to the latest threat patterns. We also work with Microsoft’s cybersecurity engineers to further enhance our cybersecurity solutions and develop products that integrate well with Microsoft’s own security offerings. By leveraging our expertise, organisations can enhance their employees’ awareness and preparedness against cyberthreats. This proactive approach not only strengthens an organisation’s defence against external threats but also fosters a culture of security mindfulness among its workforce.” Theo Zafirakos Security and Professional Services Leader Fortra’s Terranova Security

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