At a state level, Russia is a top-tier cyber power, with capable advanced persistent threat groups. It is also the source of a significant amount of underground cybercriminal activity. That activity is a product of its strong educational systems but poor economic opportunity for IT professionals and low penalties for cybercrime, according to U.S. Department of Defense Analyst Alec Jackson who recently wrote a paper, “How the Collapse of the Soviet Union Made Russia a Great Cyber Power.” In this Studio 471, Jackson discusses how deep, institutional corruption ties Russian IT professionals, organized criminal groups and the state together and how Russia leverages this to its advantage.
Participants:
Alec Jackson, Analyst, U.S. Department of Defense
Jeremy Kirk, Executive Editor, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Intel 471
