Some of the best VPN providers are responding to the Ukraine crisis by offering free cybersecurity tools to journalists working in the country.
ProtonVPN has pledged to donate 10% of their revenue from new subscriptions, whether for their VPN or ProtonMail accounts, to relief efforts in Ukraine. It also pledges to support affected journalists in the country.
In a tweet, ExpressVPN reminded its audience of its writing project open to journalists, civil society, and non-profit organizations seeking safer Internet connections.
Other providers offer more bandwidth data than free plans. TunnelBear increased its network to 10 GB for users connecting from Ukraine, while Windscribe asked journalists to contact the service for more free connection data.
Other cybersecurity players are also advancing in the name of safe and fair information.
VPN and antivirus software provider Bitdefender has partnered with the Romanian National Directorate of Cybersecurity (DNSC) to provide free cybersecurity expertise and technology to anyone supporting the people of Ukraine and their allies.
Since the start of the conflict on February 24, American computer security expert Runa Sandvik has also offered free digital security tools to journalists reporting from Ukraine.
If you choose to stay in Ukraine and report on what's going on, I'd be happy to talk to you about physical and digital security for free. Email me at runa dot sandvik at gmail. 🇺🇦🔐 February 24, 2022
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Cyberwar between Ukraine and Russia: latest developments
In cyberspace, Russia has long been an active player.
According to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report released last October, 58% of all cyberattacks on nation-states come from Russia. There was also a 50% increase over the previous year in actions targeting government intelligence-gathering agencies. The United States, the United Kingdom and Ukraine were the most affected.
Days before the first Russian missiles hit Ukrainian cities, Internet watchdog NetBlocks confirmed the loss of connectivity with the Ukrainian networks of the State Savings Bank, the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces.
However, Ukrainian citizens are reacting, and not just in the streets.
Backed by kyiv officials, the IT Army of Ukraine is a community of hackers digitally fighting against the invasion. Through their Telegram channel, volunteers distribute goals and tasks. They have already claimed some shares in the Moscow Stock Exchange and Russia's largest lender Sberbank, Forbes reports.
Finally, the famous group of hackers Anonymous declared war on the Kremlin. Hacktivists have already attacked the Russian propaganda machine, spreading their messages on various media websites and TV channels.
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