Russian Global Cyberattacks

[Rusk]

UK And US Accuse Russia Of Hacking Home Routers In Global Cyberattacks

A little warning from the British and American governments today: Kremlin-funded spies might have found a way into your home office.

The joint technical alert said Russian state-sponsored hackers had attempted to breach network routers, switches, firewalls and network intrusion detection systems across the world. Those routers were compromised to carry out so-called "man-in-the-middle" attacks where data going between computers and internet servers is intercepted, the NCSC said. That was being done "to support espionage, extract intellectual property, maintain persistent access to victim networks and potentially lay a foundation for future offensive operations," according to a statement from the NCSC.

In response to today's allegations, in an emailed comment from the Russian Embassy in London, a spokesperson said: "We consider these accusations and speculations as striking examples of a reckless, provocative and unfounded policy against Russia. We are disappointed by the fact that such serious claims have been made publicly, without any proof being presented and without any attempt by the United Kingdom to clarify the situation with the Russian side in the first place.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...-hacking-network-infrastructure/#2b0b6e3d744e


ehh its always russians

 

[PrinceOfPain]

The West is so behind when it comes to cyber warfare - they see every problem as a nail made for the hammer of the American military.

Backward barbarians.

 

[Ruprecht]

ehh its always russians

Nah, sometimes it's the Chinese.

 

[Trotsky]

The West is so behind when it comes to cyber warfare - they see every problem as a nail made for the hammer of the American military.

Backward barbarians.

I would usually cosign this assumption, except for the fact that there is (at least here in the States) robust evidence of Russian cyber-presence, at least to the extent that we know it was known of by their government.

The fact that Chinese influence has not yet been reported tells me that either (a) they have kept out of the political realm to hide their asses or (b) they [given that they looooove the power ceded to them by Trump] are just way better at covering their tracks than Russia.

 

[syct23]

Nah, sometimes it's the Chinese.

Or the fat dudes in a basement...

 

[Ruprecht]

Or the fat dudes in a basement...

True... is "fat dudes in a basement" code for a specific nation?

 

[syct23]

True... is "fat dudes in a basement" code for a specific nation?

Fast Food is global now's...

 

[whougonnacall]

The West is so behind when it comes to cyber warfare - they see every problem as a nail made for the hammer of the American military.

Backward barbarians.

To be fair most of russia is so backward cyberwarfare isnt a risk so its not like the u.s can counter that well!
When most of your enemy is still wiping their asses barehanded in crumbling soviet era hovels the fact that the one computer within 100 miles has been hacked by the u.s doesnt reallly matter!!

 

[KnightTemplar]

I would usually cosign this assumption, except for the fact that there is (at least here in the States) robust evidence of Russian cyber-presence, at least to the extent that we know it was known of by their government.

The fact that Chinese influence has not yet been reported tells me that either (a) they have kept out of the political realm to hide their asses or (b) they [given that they looooove the power ceded to them by Trump] are just way better at covering their tracks than Russia.

Chinese are probably more subtle. They like to play the long game. Russian cyber-warfare seems to be based on numbers and brute force. They are applying the tactics that won them the Great Patriotic War to cyberspace.

 

[Trotsky]

Chinese are probably more subtle. They like to play the long game. Russian cyber-warfare seems to be based on numbers and brute force. They are applying the tactics that won them the Great Patriotic War to cyberspace.

Yeah, I think you're right. It's pretty out in the open now that Putin is trying to undermine NATO (understandably) and make democracy seem illegitimate. It's very short-term.

Meanwhile, China's one party state has been doing something that democratic countries, whose administrations are constantly playing short-term to keep popularity, cannot do: play the long game.

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Chinese are probably more subtle. They like to play the long game. Russian cyber-warfare seems to be based on numbers and brute force. They are applying the tactics that won them the Great Patriotic War to cyberspace.

I think Russian cyberwarfare is also conducted by private citizens with government support, while Chinese cyberwar is done by professionals. So the russians are more amateurish.
If you look around the web for Warez(pirated content) it's mostly done by russians. Ebooks(thanks to the russians I never spent a dime on textbooks), movies, cracked games and professional software. They have a huge deepweb that the governments taps when it needs to hack their enemies.

 

[Ruprecht]

Fast Food is global now's...

Fair call. Even the Chinese might have fat guys in the basement these days.

 

[bobgeese]

True... is "fat dudes in a basement" code for a specific nation?

I have to imagine that’s the United States...

 

[PrinceOfPain]

I would usually cosign this assumption, except for the fact that there is (at least here in the States) robust evidence of Russian cyber-presence, at least to the extent that we know it was known of by their government.

The fact that Chinese influence has not yet been reported tells me that either (a) they have kept out of the political realm to hide their asses or (b) they [given that they looooove the power ceded to them by Trump] are just way better at covering their tracks than Russia.

I would definitely assume 'B' on the second point.
As for the first point, I think Russia's lack of subtlety is less of an indication of cyber incapability than that Putin's overall strategy (for both his domestic and foreign audiences) does not really require subtlety - and indeed, would likely be hindered by it. They seem aim for overwhelming saturation of defenses and, of course, the incidental furthering of the reputation of the Russian Federation.

And honesty, I really do not believe that the West has taken cyber warfare as seriously as they should for as long as they should - the Russians appear to have made sure that they are the far more experienced nation when it comes to that particular battlefield.
The States, on the other hand, seemed to take a decade or so before it even realised that Russia was a cyber threat and that the US has had a target on its back.

 

[Armbars]

except for the fact that there is (at least here in the States) robust evidence of Russian cyber-presence, at least to the extent that we know it was known of by their government.

Same here in the UK.

 

[TheGreatA]

I think Russian cyberwarfare is also conducted by private citizens with government support, while Chinese cyberwar is done by professionals. So the russians are more amateurish.
If you look around the web for Warez(pirated content) it's mostly done by russians. Ebooks(thanks to the russians I never spent a dime on textbooks), movies, cracked games and professional software. They have a huge deepweb that the governments taps when it needs to hack their enemies.

That's basically all of Russia, really. Even the cops in many areas are just dudes who get permission from the government to enforce law. The place is a whole lot anarchic than people would like to admit, post-Soviet collapse. One of the more anarchical structures in current times.

Putin and his ex-KGB friends do not have a tight grip on members of the Russian federation, and have given up on any attempts to do so. They simply make allies of the subcultures that have developed, such as the hacking culture, or the criminal organizations, rather than trying to fight or control them, like the Soviets did. They make use of them for the purpose of furthering "national interests" instead, and direct the damage they cause against non-Russian entities. You're free to commit crime and to hack, as much as you please, as long as your crimes don't affect other Russians. And if anybody tries to stop them, Putin steps up for them and protects them from anyone trying to interfere.

In many ways it's a genius way of structuring the society, after a complete and utter social collapse. They make use of even their criminals, against foreign rivals, and minimize the internal harm.

 

[RockstarChris]

The West is so behind when it comes to cyber warfare - they see every problem as a nail made for the hammer of the American military.

Backward barbarians.

West of me is Russia. They are also East as well. You call us barbarians yet you dont understand that the earth is a globe? lol

 

[PrinceOfPain]

West of me is Russia. They are also East as well. You call us barbarians yet you dont understand that the earth is a globe? lol

Your understanding of history and geography tells me that you're... an American?

 

[RockstarChris]

Your understanding of history and geography tells me that you're... an American?

Geometry bro.

 

[KnightTemplar]

That's basically all of Russia, really. Even the cops in many areas are just dudes who get permission from the government to enforce law. The place is a whole lot anarchic than people would like to admit, post-Soviet collapse. One of the more anarchical structures in current times.

Putin and his ex-KGB friends do not have a tight grip on members of the Russian federation, and have given up on any attempts to do so. They simply make allies of the subcultures that have developed, such as the hacking culture, or the criminal organizations, rather than trying to fight or control them, like the Soviets did. They make use of them for the purpose of furthering "national interests" instead, and direct the damage they cause against non-Russian entities. You're free to commit crime and to hack, as much as you please, as long as your crimes don't affect other Russians. And if anybody tries to stop them, Putin steps up for them and protects them from anyone trying to interfere.

In many ways it's a genius way of structuring the society, after a complete and utter social collapse. They make use of even their criminals, against foreign rivals, and minimize the internal harm.

Could not agree more. Russia is the very definition of "Mafia State".