Recent Cyber Events and Possible
Implications for Armed Forces
#2 – May 2020
About this paper
This paper is the collaborative view of NATO CCDCOE researchers highlighting the potential effects
on the military of current events and of developments in cyberspace during the previous month based
on publicly available information, but it does not set out to be exhaustive. While the authors have
made every effort to describe events from a perspective relevant to NATO and partner nations, there
may be national and regional differences which this paper does not address.
The authors of this paper are independent researchers at the NATO CCDCOE; they do not represent
NATO, nor does this paper reflect NATO’s position. The aim of the paper is not to replace information
about vulnerabilities and incidents provided by CSIRTs and providers of CIS products and services.
1. COVID-19 related news
COVID-19 disinformation continues to
spread using social media and other
cyber means
‘China has systematically spread
disinformation about COVID-19 to shift blame
for the pandemic, a think tank has claimed’.
(Express, 5 April 2020)
Crime and disinformation connected with the
COVID-19 pandemic continue. Law
enforcement agencies warn that state actors
like Russia,
are said to be
behind some of these disinformation
campaigns. A common theme is to blame the
United States for the pandemic. The desired
result of this is to cause cracks in the unity of
the Alliance.
Conspiracy theories also flourish, like the
theories that the roll-out of 5G technology is
related to the spread of the virus,
which have
been reported as leading to mobile masts
being attacked and broadband engineers
being threatened.
State actors are not always
EU vs Disinfo: Coronavirus in Russia:
Independent Journalists call the bluff.
Graphika: Iran’s IUVM turns to coronavirus.
The Sun: Bizarre ‘5G caused coronavirus’
conspiracy theory that spread on YouTube is still
going viral on WhatsApp.
The Guardian: Broadband engineers threatened
due to 5G coronavirus conspiracies.
Politico: In fight against coronavirus,
governments embrace surveillance.
the main players in this, but the theories may
be fuelled or inspired by state or state-
sponsored actors.
Tracing the spread of COVID-19 may
mean risks for privacy and security
‘Chinese-style surveillance is coming to a
neighbourhood near you. From drones
barking orders at park-goers to tracking
people's movements through cellphones,
Western governments are rushing to embrace
sophisticated surveillance tools that would
have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago.
In the European Union, home to the world's
strictest privacy regimen, leaders have taken
the unprecedented step of asking telecoms
companies to hand over mobile phone data so
they can track population movements and try
to stop the spread’. (Politico, 25 March 2020)
Governments are trying to leverage mobile
technology in tracking and controlling the
spread of the virus.
Mobile telephone carriers
are asked to submit information
and Google
has volunteered tracking information.
Different app solutions have been deployed or
Politico: Commission tells carriers to hand over
mobile data in coronavirus fight.
The Wall Street Journal: Google offers user
location data to health officials tackling
coronavirus, France24: Google to publish user
location data to help govts tackle virus
