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What is Russia's answer to cyber threats?
Marina Myakisheva
Unfortunately, one is not to wait for a slowdown in the number of computer crimes. Judging by the general tendency toward network convergence and hyper connectedness of the industry, the number of violations in IS is sure to grow from year to year. Kirill Korniliev, IBM’s Director General in Eastern Europe and Asia, reporting at the tenth anniversary Infoforum said that the more components there were in a network, the higher was threat to security.
According to the company Nortel, innovative security solutions should be directed first of all at providing for business continuity. Cluster systems based on the principle of reservation are very helpful in such a case. No less important are solutions to protect mobile networks. According to Nortel representatives, future convergent networks require more complicated protection, as any attack might result in failure of both the internet and business applications. Besides, wireless internet is much worse protected that wired internet.
Towards cyber crimes
Cyber criminality dates back to 1969, when the first theft using computing devices was recorded. Forty years later we can say that the number of similar crimes has increased tenfod. Thus, according to the general-colonel Boris Miroshnikov, chief of bureau for special technical undertakings at the RF Ministry of the Interior, only in 2007 about 12 thousand computer crimes were recorded, and more than 600 resources containing ‘undesirable content’ were closed. More than half are sites with child pornography. According to Mr. Miroshnikov, that is only the top of the iceberg. Calling the internet ‘a monster that we let into our homes’, the general-colonel complained about the overall anonymity and lack of organization in the internet community suggesting to consider the possibility of obligatory registration of the internet users.
Boris Miroshnikov, chief of bureau for special technical undertakings at the RF Ministry of the Interior: only in 2007 about 12 thousand computer crimes were recorded in Russia
It should be considered simultaneously at several levels how to counteract cyber threats. Thus, the state should adopt corresponding ordinances to reduce crime. First of the penalty for such crimes should become more severe. According to Mr. Miroshnikov, at present the penalty is too tolerant, i.e. 2-3 years of imprisonment, while in other countries people are sentenced to 10-15 years of imprisonment with property confiscation. Mr. Miroshnikov believes that such an inadequately tolerant penalty encourages criminals to continue committing more sophisticated crimes. Moreover, the state is to decide what content should be treated as ‘undesirable’ or ‘questionable’. Mr. Miroshnikov suggests such decisions should be made in court but not by power structures.
The second level of counteracting cyber crimes is providers. According to Kaspersky Lab., it is providers that should be engaged in filtering viruses and spam out, scanning both incoming and outgoing traffic, which is no less important. If infected traffic goes from a use, the latter should be blocked till his computer is cured. Mr. Miroshnikov believes providers should filter the so called ‘undesirable or questionable content’ consisting first of all of sites with children pornography.
The third level of fighting against cyber crime should consist of users and public organizations. Their duty is to use antivirus software and be aware of general concepts of internet ecology.
Viruses attack
The number of virus threats has significantly increased recently. According to Kaspersky Lab., in 2006 169 new viruses emerged, while in 2007 472 new types of malware emerged. However, according to CSI/FBI reports, in 2007 losses from viruses occupied the second line being inferior to damage from financial fraud. According to Kaspersky Lab., reduction in losses from viruses might be accounted for modern antivirus software to provide effective protection from such damage.
Kirill Korniliev, IBM’s Director General in Eastern Europe and Asia: the more components there are in a network, the higher is threat to security
Furthermore, according to Andrey Zerenkov, head of security service at Kaspersky Lab., one can speak about close cooperation of spammers and virus writers. The former use bot-networks developed by the latter to dispatch spam. ‘Bot-networks’ are subject to purchase and sale resulting in tangible financial benefit to their developers.
Information warfare on state funds
The general-major Alexander Burutin, Deputy chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, says that scientists in developed countries are actively developing ‘information weapon’, which will be directed against Russia. He believes there are special troops engaged in developing information operations in the armed forces of several states. Mr. Burutin says that intensive ‘destruction of spiritual values by influencing the individual, group and mass consciousness’ of the Russian citizens is being currently held. The major-general thinks the information warfare against Russia provides for the negative image of Russia. To counteract the information warfare, the RF General Staff has decided to establish the ‘Agency for positive image of Russia’. Simultaneously, the Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information at the RF President, FSB and Ministry of Defence will be engaged in developing special methods for information warfare. Meanwhile, nothing is known about the scale of investment into the project, but the fact that it is practically impossible to assess the efficiency of operations held in the internet, might result in emergence of another black hole sucking in taxpayers’ money on a large scale.
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