The impact of the Ukrainian-Russian war on European cybersecurity

In recent years it has been observed that conflicts have changed in the context of globalization. The military strategies have been influenced by innovations in the field of communication and information technology, giving modern warfare a fresh boost. More specifically, the concept of military warfare experienced changes, as well as the military strategies, to reduce deaths and accomplish political and military objectives at minimal cost. In this sense, the Ukrainian-Russian war serves as the most recent example, where cyberspace was also used as a battleground. The fact that cyberattacks are used in coordination with conventional military attacks against the Ukrainian territories shows that they are an important component of the military strategy to win the war. At the same time, recent events have already shown us that as the conflict escalated, Russian cyberattacks also targeted European nations who openly backed the Ukrainian cause. The cyberspace has become a new battleground where states are not sufficiently prepared to prevent and stop such cyberattacks, especially as they become more complex. In this regard, the current paper analyses the parts of the literature review which describe to what extent the Ukrainian-Russian war affected European cybersecurity. This study also aims to highlight the dangers and vulnerabilities faced by European governments in this regard and provide specialized solutions for cyber security practitioners or policymakers. The main research question seeks to analyse to what extent the use of cyber-attacks in a Russian-Ukrainian war affects European cybersecurity.