Where Is Russia’s Cyberwar? Researchers Decipher Its Strategy
Scientific AmericanAPR 2022
Vladimir Putin's Russia has become a dominant force in the field of cyberwarfare, and the US is gravely unprepared. The American private sector hasn't invested enough resources to defend itself from cyberthreats.
Though there's good reason to be wary of a Russian cyberattack against American companies, there's also reason to be optimistic about the US' defense capabilities. The American private sector has strengthened its defenses in recent years and is in a better position to weather disruption.
Both Russia and the West have a lot to lose in a cyberwar. If the West pushes too much, authoritarian powers may declare "cyber sovereignty" and create closed surveillance-state internets. If Russia goes too far, it would bring global condemnation and counterstrikes. Neither side wants this.
We've introduced this threat ourselves. For decades, governments and businesses chose to build a hyper-connected world. That means more cyber vulnerability to disruption and a sea of disinformation from myriad actors. This is a direct result of our desire for convenience.