Brad Smith, president and vice chair of Microsoft, said the company’s new intelligence report offers five cybersecurity conclusions from the ongoing war in Ukraine and one is that defense against military invasion requires the capability to distribute and disburse data assets and digital operations into other countries.

“Second, recent advances in cyber threat intelligence and end-point protection have helped Ukraine withstand a high percentage of destructive Russian cyberattacks,” Smith wrote in the foreword of the report “Defending Ukraine: Early Lessons from the Cyber War.”

The report, published Wednesday, states that Russian intelligence agencies have ramped up espionage and network penetration activities against allied governments and carried out cyber influence initiatives worldwide to back their war efforts.

Lessons from the war in Ukraine demand a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to build up defenses against cyber influence, espionage and destructive operations, according to Smith.

He noted the four tenets to counter Russian cyberthreats are using digital tactics and technology to fight such threats; relying on public-private collaboration; embracing the need for multilateral collaboration among governments to safeguard democratic societies; and upholding free expression in democratic societies.

These four tenets should be supported with a comprehensive strategy to fight Russian cyber influence operations: detect, disrupt, defend against and deter foreign cyberthreats, Smith added.

Microsoft Federal is a sponsor of GovCon Wire Events’ 2nd Annual Defense Cyber Forum on July 12. Visit the GCW Events page to learn more about the incoming virtual forum, which will feature Lt. Gen. Maria Barrett, commanding general of U.S. Army Cyber Command, as the keynote speaker.