Highlights
– The Russian government wants the US and other countries to sign a cyberspace disarmament treaty, but the US favors more international law enforcement cooperation to handle cyber-security concerns
– Russia’s calls for a cyberspace disarmament treaty is surprising given its suspected use of such technologies in recent conflicts
– The world’s top military powers are expected to develop and maintain sophisticated cyber-warfare capabilities
On May 29, 2009 United States (US) President Barack Obama stated that his administration would make securing the nation’s most vital computer networks a top economic and national security priority. Along with the pledge, his administration released a 60-day CyberSpace Policy Review that included several near-term goals. One of those goals included developing the federal government’s positions for an international cyber-security policy framework and strengthening the government’s international partnerships.
To achieve this goal, President Obama is expected to address with Russian officials some differing views on how to counter the growing threat of cyber-war attacks when he visits the country next week.
The Russian government has a disconcerting history of suspected government sponsored cyber-warfare, which will undoubtedly make it more difficult for the country to achieve support for its proposed disarmament treaty on the international stage.
• In August 2008, Russian troops crossed into South Ossetia – a breakaway province of Georgia – vowing to defend what they called “Russian compatriots.” As this was taking place, a multi-faceted cyber-attack began against the Georgian infrastructure and key government web sites.
• In April 2007, a series of cyber-attacks were unleashed on several government and private institutions in Estonia that were purported to have Russian ties. The attacks swamped the websites of Estonian organizations, including the Estonian parliament, banks, ministries, newspapers and broadcasters, amid the country’s row with Russia over the relocation of the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn, an elaborate Soviet-era grave marker, as well as war graves in Tallinn.
In the near to medium-term, it is unlikely Russia will be able to convince the United States or other leading nations to agree to a disarmament treaty. Over the past several years, the Russian government has repeatedly introduced resolutions before the United Nations calling for cyberspace disarmament treaties – which have been consistently opposed by the United States.
The likely result will be an intense cyberwar arms race with many of the world’s top military powers developing sophisticated offensive cyber-warfare technologies and human talent to match the growing desire for dominance on this new battlefield.
Goals of Russia’s Cyber-warfare Disarmament Treaty
Russia is calling for an international treaty which seeks to achieve disarmament in cyberspace and to establish a ban on secretly embedding malicious codes or circuitry into computer or electronic equipment – which could later be activated from afar in the even of a war. Other provisions being sought by Russia include a ban on deception in operations in cyberspace – an attempt to deal with the challenge of anonymous attacks – and calls for broader international government oversight of the Internet.
The US argues that a treaty is unnecessary and would be ineffective because it can be almost impossible to determine if an Internet attack originated from a government, a hacker loyal to that government, or a rogue individual or group acting independently. Instead the US is advocating for improved cooperation among international law enforcement groups in an effort to improve cyber-security.
International Hacking Culture
By some accounts, Russia has one of the most pervasive hacking cultures in the world. Many of the country’s top hacking talent can make a decent living selling their skills to the highest bidder. According to one hacker living in Moscow, Russia is called the “Hackzone” because of the large number of hackers living in the country. He said that hackers in Russia are so good at what they do that many are making salaries close to that of Russian college professors.
Other countries such as Great Britain, China, and the United States have been developing their own cyber-warfare capabilities. This past week, news of the Pentagon’s plans to create a cyber military command was released. The new command will be responsible for both defensive and offensive cyber-warfare.
Great Britain quickly followed suit when it announced plans for a new “cyber security unit” last week. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the unit will employ ex-hackers and data thieves in an effort to beef up the country’s digital security and protect its cyberspace infrastructure from foreign spies, thieves and terrorists.
Outlook
Given the prevalence of talented hackers in Russia, we remain suspicious that the government in Moscow would not want to exploit this talent for its own gain as cyber-warfare becomes the new battlefield in the 21st century.
In the long term, despite Russia’s desire for a complete ban on cyberspace weaponry, almost all of the world’s top military powers are expected to have a wide range of cyber-warfare capabilities that will undoubtedly play a significant role in future conflicts around the globe.
