back to article Europol, FBI, UK's NCA ride out to Ukraine's cavalry call

Ukraine, hardest hit by this week's “NotPetya” ransomware/havoc-ware, has called for help from Europol, the FBI, and England's National Crime Agency to investigate who was behind it. SBU, the country's security service, announced the international co-operation to try and localise and find the offenders. As well as the three …

  1. GrapeBunch

    I like to think of it as h

    It's not cyberterrorism if there's a state behind it. It might be an act of war. We know that one state is behind it, USA, in the form of its NSA. But USA are merely the creators of the weapon. As everyone knows, the hardware (which is actually software, but indulge me) vendor is not responsible, even when the hardware is used against an unintended target, according to international law as arranged by hardware vendors. It's not stated explicitly, but many are suspecting Russia of revamping the hardware they were handed.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's not cyberterrorism if there's a state behind it

      Surely "terrorism" is a tactic - i.e. acting to inspire terror. Therefore any actor (whether an activist, business, state, or whatever) might choose to use it. I don't see why IT-based terrorism should be any different, should any actually turn up.

    2. phuzz Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: I like to think of it

      Normally the US aren't as lax as this, allowing their weapons to fall into the hands of other countries by accident.

      They prefer it if they can sell the weapons to other countries, or at least hand them over to trustworthy friends like the Taliban*. And how could that tactic possibly go wrong?

      * (all the better to shoot Soviets during their invasion in the late 70's)

      1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
        Mushroom

        Re: I like to think of it

        Yeah, about that..

        Senate Committee Approves Boeing Exec Shanahan as Deputy SecDef

        At his committee confirmation hearing last week, Shanahan came under tough questioning from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the committee’s chairman, on the long-standing issue of whether the U.S. should provide lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine in its continuing struggle against eastern separatists backed by Russia.

        In written answers submitted before the hearing, Shanahan said he needed access to classified material before he could take a position on Ukraine.

        “The provision of lethal defensive equipment as part of our already robust security assistance program is an option I plan to look at closely if I am confirmed,” he wrote.

        McCain said Shanahan’s response was inadequate and threatened to block the nomination. “Not a good beginning. Not a good beginning. Do not do that again, Mr. Shanahan, or I will not take your name up for a vote before this committee,” the senator said.

        Shanahan then submitted a revision to his written response: “I support lethal defensive security assistance to Ukraine. The United States must do more to counter Russia’s aggressive behavior and support the people of Ukraine.”

        Ukraine: Written off.

    3. Tom Paine
      Headmaster

      Re: I like to think of it as h

      It's not cyberterrorism if there's a state behind it.

      Well. It';s semantics, of course, but the definition of any sort of hyphen-terrorism that excludes actions of nation states is, perhaps, a bit more controversial than you imply.

      Oh dear, pedant icon again...

  2. ChrisPv

    SBU

    SBU is not to be trusted. It is source of as many idiotic and debunked conspiracy theories as Sputnik, except SBU ones were eaten by media wholesome.

    On a serious note, is also the agency suiciding members and families of previous government. Where is outrage?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: SBU

        Hush.

        Since Ukraine has entered the anti-Russosphere those state institutions have turned from oppressors killing their own people to trustworthy allies that The West needs to work with.

        It's just how it works.

    2. Chris G

      Re: SBU

      Russia would be the first and obvious suspect, it always is but if I had put a new president into a country who turned out to be less than I wanted and was beginning to develop ideas of his own. How would I bring him down?

      Making an already shaky infrastructure shakier would be a start, while pointing attention in other directions.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: SBU @ChrisPv

      "On a serious note, is also the agency suiciding members and families of previous government. Where is outrage?"

      I didn't really understand that, but I would like to say how much I enjoy your meerkat voiceovers for that price comparison website.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I reckon it was the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are aligned with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

  4. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Trollface

    Just an NSA+Microsoft negative externality

    F-Secure is greatly reluctant to label NotPetya as “state sponsored”, but is “less and less” sceptical of that hypothesis.

    I'm sure "consulting fees" can reduce the scepticism some more.

  5. LazLong

    It's 'Ukraine,' not "the Ukraine."

    It is not "the Ukraine," but simply Ukraine.' This actually changed when Ukraine went from being a region of the former Russian Empire to a republic of the USSR. However, it was not properly recognized by foreign entities until formally codified in Ukraine's declaration of independence from the USSR and its constitution. Google is your friend.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's 'Ukraine,' not "the Ukraine."

      But the other region mashed between two Players of Influence is called "La Lorraine", so "The Ukraine" works for me.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's 'Ukraine,' not "the Ukraine."

      Google is your friend.

      I really don't think that's true. They make up all nice and free, but really they want to process me into an untaxed income stream.

  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Joke

    "Me.Doc software , is one of two accounting packages the country's tax office accepts."

    Hmm.

    Investigators suspicions are turning to a little known British software house based in North Eastern England.......

  7. Captain Badmouth
    Pirate

    England's National Crime Agency

    Good to now that the NCA doesn't cover us Celts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    Whew!

    1. Santa from Exeter
      Joke

      Re: England's National Crime Agency

      Surely, that would make it the Inter-National Crime Agency.

      BTW, does anyone else immediately think "Oh, the National Crime Agency, must be responsible for all the crimes committed then."

      1. DropBear

        Re: England's National Crime Agency

        Well, d'uh. What else would you expect with a supervillain-like name like that, clearly designed to neatly abbreviate as "INCA"...

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        ""Oh, the National Crime Agency, must be responsible for all the crimes committed then."

        Back in the day the "Regional Crime Squads" seemed to have been responsible for a fair proportion of the crimes committed in there regions. Committed, not investigated.

      3. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Headmaster

        "Surely, that would make it the Inter-National Crime Agency."

        Depends if you view Wales, Scotland etc as sovereign nations or regions of the UK. AFAIK you can't get a "Scottish" or "Welsh" passport.

        That would make this the "Intra-National Crime Agency" of the UK.

  8. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    A can of worms, once opened...

    1. vogon00

      ...should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 24hrs of opening.

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