A (brief) history of Russian hacking
POSTED BY: captaincrunch
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 30, 2020 22:12
VIEWED: 953
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From 2 years ago, so this doesn't include recent hacks...
https://www.theneweconomy.com/technology/a-history-of-russian-hacking
A history of Russian hacking
Just over a decade ago, Russia embarked on a global programme of state-sponsored cyber warfare to prove its technological prowess. Its hacking operations have become more wide-ranging in scope and more damaging with every target
By Sophie Perryer | Monday, October 22nd, 2018
Russia is now seen as the global hegemon in cyber warfare – a staggering feat for a country that, less than 30 years ago, experienced a total political upheaval that practically flattened its technology sector. Over the past 10 years, it has orchestrated a vast number of coordinated and uncompromising cyberattacks across governmental and private organisations.
This year alone has seen parties such as Barack Obama, the UK and Dutch governments and the Swiss attorney general condemn Russia for causing worldwide chaos through a series of brazen hacks. Russia’s methods have advanced technologically over the years, from rudimentary email-server hacking to the creation of tailored social media messages carrying destructive malware viruses. However, it is still not clear why the nation chose to embark upon such an injurious hacking campaign in the first place.
Some have said it is a demonstration of technical prowess; others have claimed it is symptomatic of the evolution of modern warfare. The experts all agree on one thing, though: that Russia’s cyber offensive shows no sign of slowing.
History matters
In order to understand why the number of Russian hacks has accelerated so rapidly in the past few years, it’s vital to take a look back at the country’s history. Russia as we know it was formed in 1991, when the fall of the Soviet Union brought an end to one of the 20thcentury’s foremost geopolitical powers. In its short history, the country has suffered immense economic hardship, beginning with that very collapse and exacerbated by a number of recessions that have hit Russia’s fragile economy particularly hard.
In comparison to the rest of the world, which was experiencing the dotcom boom at the time, post-soviet society was reverting to the technological dark ages
The Soviet Union had a highly developed science and technology (S&T) infrastructure that was driven by state demand and focused on military and national security needs. “Russia, and before it the USSR, was very adept at information warfare – using information against people, and to confuse enemies – and the growth of the internet has made that a lot easier,”said Charles Arthur, former technology editor atThe Guardianand author of Cyber Wars: Hacks that Shocked the Business World. However, there was no semblance of a private technology sector, primarily due to the collectivist nature of the political regime.
The S&T sector was severely damaged by soviet ruin, as domestic investment sank and talented scientists left the discipline and even the country. In comparison to the rest of the world, which was experiencing the dotcom boom at the time, post-soviet society was reverting to the technological dark ages.
This lasted for some years, and with the Russian state being notoriously impenetrable, it is difficult to know what sort of technological progress took place during that time. David Manners glimpsed through a crack in the facade when he wrote for Electronics Weekly in 2005: “Russian big business is under control, taxes are being collected, and the oligarchs are turning their attention to the high-technology sector.” Manners also detailed a number of state-sponsored measures to encourage technological innovation, which included a “national investment fund with nanotechnology as a priority” and the establishment of “four new technoparks”. It seemed Russia had got its domestic affairs in order and was embarking on a programme to catch up with the rest of the world.
State intervention
It’s important to note, however, that Putin’s government sought to impose innovation from the top down – this mea
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Nice post G. I'm hoping these last few years have sent a clear message to the powers to be, It's time to use our many resources to put some distance between our capabilities and those who would threaten our sovereignty. I'm thinking they got the message.
T 
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TL;DR
What have you done today to earn your place in this crowded world? :)
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