The threat of cyber attacks is promoted as political conspiracy tool?
Russian news portal Rosbalt, which is managed by the wife of a top ranking FSB official and close associate of "you know who", Victor Cherkesov, published an interesting opinion about the events of April and May in Estonia, including the famous cyber attacks (emphasize added):
"Случаи массовых D-dos-атак и ранее неоднократно случались; сами по себе они не считаются чем-то из ряда вон выходящим. Но именно идеологическое противостояние Рунета и эстонских властей приобрело размах настоящей войны, так как Рунет в тот момент фактически взял на себя функции субъекта мировой политики. В глобальной информационной среде возник прообраз экстерриториального и негосударственного цивилизационного единства всех русских. Были налажен обмен информацией, выработаны общие ценности, обозначено пространство национальных интересов, сигнальная система оповещения об угрозах. Началась и международная деятельность — разъяснение своих позиций и формирование групп поддержки в иноязычных сегментах Интернета".
"Cases of massive DDos attacks had happened many tiimes before; by themselves they aren't considered significant. But it was precisely ideological clash between the Estonian authorities and Russian internet (RuNet), which lead to a real war, because at that moment RuNet in fact undertook functions of a player in the World politics. Prototype of an extraterritorial and non-governmental civilization-like unity of all Russians has been born in the global information environment. As result, exchange of information, common values, common area of national interests and threats monitoring system were developed. International activity was created as well - explaining own positions and forming support groups inside foreign language segments of the internet".
"Cases of massive DDos attacks had happened many tiimes before; by themselves they aren't considered significant. But it was precisely ideological clash between the Estonian authorities and Russian internet (RuNet), which lead to a real war, because at that moment RuNet in fact undertook functions of a player in the World politics. Prototype of an extraterritorial and non-governmental civilization-like unity of all Russians has been born in the global information environment. As result, exchange of information, common values, common area of national interests and threats monitoring system were developed. International activity was created as well - explaining own positions and forming support groups inside foreign language segments of the internet".
"А в момент кризисной ситуации пользователями Рунета были приняты меры по защите своих ценностей и моральных приоритетов, оказавшиеся весьма болезненными для небольшого государства. Рунет проделал работу, которую российское государство должно было проделать еще до Бронзовых ночей, но по каким-то причинам этого не сделало".
"In time of crisis the users of RuNet undertook measures to defend their values and moral priorities, which appeared to have quite painful effect for a small country (Estonia - editor's note). RuNet did the job, which the Russian state should have done even before the Bronze Nights, but chose not to, reasons unknown".
"In time of crisis the users of RuNet undertook measures to defend their values and moral priorities, which appeared to have quite painful effect for a small country (Estonia - editor's note). RuNet did the job, which the Russian state should have done even before the Bronze Nights, but chose not to, reasons unknown".
"Фактически Рунет по своей воле без чьего-либо указания коллективно принял решение и вступил в партизанскую войну за ценности русской цивилизации. В этом бою Рунет оказался гораздо более эффективным средством прямого действия, чем пожирающие огромные средства российские молодежные организации. Партизанские действия рунетчиков, конечно, не могли принести победы в борьбе со страной-членом НАТО. Но мы должны признать, что Рунет стал субъектом мировой политики. В боях за Бронзового солдата появился прообраз международной социальной структуры русского мира. Эта глобальная сеть, объединяющая русских разных стран, может выполнять важнейшие функции в тех сферах, где у государства по каким-либо причинам связаны руки".
"In fact RuNet, acting on its own and without any leadership decided collectively to start a guerilla war in the name of the Russian values. In that battle RuNet proved to be much more effective as compared to insanely resource hungry youth organizations. Guerilla activities of the members of the RuNet couldn't, of course, bring the victory against a NATO country. But we have to acknowledge that RuNet became a player in the World politics. As the result of the battle for the Bronze Soldier a prototype of the global social network uniting all Russians appeared. This global network, uniting Russians from different countries can fulfill different tasks in those areas, where the state has its hands tied".
"In fact RuNet, acting on its own and without any leadership decided collectively to start a guerilla war in the name of the Russian values. In that battle RuNet proved to be much more effective as compared to insanely resource hungry youth organizations. Guerilla activities of the members of the RuNet couldn't, of course, bring the victory against a NATO country. But we have to acknowledge that RuNet became a player in the World politics. As the result of the battle for the Bronze Soldier a prototype of the global social network uniting all Russians appeared. This global network, uniting Russians from different countries can fulfill different tasks in those areas, where the state has its hands tied".
These ideas can clearly be seen as an attempt to explain and promote the thinking of those who, in the opinion of the author of the article, Dmitri Varfolomeyev (Дмитрий Варфоломеев, sp?), stand behind the phenomenon of the Russian hacktivism, best known examples of which are DDOS attacks against Kremlin's adversaries including the campaign against the web sites of the Russian opposition political movement "Other Russia", as well as the carnage unleashed upon the communications of the Estonian government, the press and the banks in 2007 Spring Cyber War.
One could expect a concept like this, with its conspiracy-style wording ("global network of Russians" acting in the Kremlin's interest when "the state has its hands tied") would rather come as an accusation by some of the victims of the DDOS and spam attacks, not as a triumphant story in a major Russian news portal perceived as pro-Kremlin.
Pieces like these demonstrate once again how little the opinion leaders in Russia are concerned about something, which has been seen as an issue across whole range of the World press, facilitated the launch of a new, cybernetic type of defense forces in a number of countries, and cast a shadow on the relations between the EU and Russia (look for key words similar to "cyber attack" in the EU parliament's resolution condemning Russian aggression against Estonia).
While the World, at least its Western part is discussing defensive measures against the attacks, Russians are discussing the benefits of attacking. So much about finding common ground with Russians.
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