As Global Conflicts Go Digital, Businesses Need Wartime Gameplans
The world of modern warfare has taken a drastic turn with the increasing involvement of cyberattacks. A recent incident involving a Ukrainian tax software company highlights the devastating impact that can occur when global conflicts go digital. Intellect Services, a mid-sized family-owned business in Ukraine, was compromised by Russia’s Sandworm threat actor through a backdoor planted in its M.E.Doc software update, known as NotPetya. This cyberattack not only affected Intellect Services but also caused tens of billions of dollars in damage to thousands of unwitting companies around the world.
The case of Intellect Services serves as a stark reminder that businesses can become military targets, even if they don’t directly engage with the military or government. According to Allie Mellen, Forrester analyst and author of “Code War: How Nations Hack, Spy, and Shape the Digital Battlefield,” nation-states often target private sector companies because it’s easier than attacking governments or militaries. The difficulty lies in striking back against such attacks, making it crucial for businesses to have a wartime gameplan in place.
The 1977 Geneva Conventions define military objectives as targets that make an effective contribution to military action and whose destruction offers a definite military advantage. This can include companies with contracts directly tied to the military or those with infrastructure that serves both civilian and military purposes during war. Jonathan Horowitz, legal advisor for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), points out that even organizations with no direct ties to a military or government might still be seen as military objectives due to the messy nature of modern warfare.
The blurred lines between civilian and military infrastructure are a significant concern in today’s urban warfare. As Horowitz explains, “In the battlefields of yesteryear, everything happened on fields where there was no civilian presence. Now times have changed.” With digital infrastructure serving both military and civilian purposes, neutral organizations and their customers become vulnerable to attacks.
The willingness of militaries to attack digital service providers has been demonstrated through kinetic strikes, which also affects downstream customers. This raises questions about the responsibility of local municipal energy providers using cloud systems that may also assist forward operating bases. The incident highlights the need for businesses to consider the risks associated with their involvement in global conflicts and take steps to mitigate them.
In conclusion, as global conflicts increasingly go digital, it’s essential for businesses to develop a wartime gameplan. This includes understanding their potential role in military objectives, assessing their cybersecurity defenses, and developing strategies to minimize the risk of cyberattacks. By doing so, companies can protect themselves from becoming pawns in a larger conflict and ensure continuity of operations despite growing threats.
Source: Dark Reading — 2026-07-09