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U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

nytimes.com

51–60 of 184 posts

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#51

Holy crap. This is huge news. Isn’t a cyber attack on critical infrastructure kind of an act of war? I’m not sure how wise this course of action is.

You remember VPNFilter? I'd certainly consider that and other disinformation campaigns acts of war.

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#52
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recall reading, some years ago, that the US reserves the right to respond to cyberattacks with nuclear weapons. I wonder if Russia also does. Playing games with power grids etc is arguably much higher stakes than fighters messing with each other, or even with passenger planes. Or navy ships passing too closely. Edit: I guess that it was more like a heads up for adversaries. As in "don't think that we won't". Just i…

Every state "reserves the right" to do whatever they want, including things they have previously claimed they will not do. That is literally the definition of sovereignty.

Point taken.

I guess that it was more like a heads up for adversaries. As in "don't think that we won't".

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#53
post #45

Wonderful. What better way to drive home the message that the Russian government’s strategy of control over internet and Great Firewall makes total sense from the POV of national security.

>strategy of control over internet and Great Firewall makes total sense from the POV of national security How do those contribute to national security? "control over internet"/gfw aka censorship isn't going to prevent any cyberattacks.

It makes it a lot easier for the Russian gov to sell "control over the internet" to the public.

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#54
post #41

Holy crap. This is huge news. Isn’t a cyber attack on critical infrastructure kind of an act of war? I’m not sure how wise this course of action is.

I recall reading, some years ago, that the US reserves the right to respond to cyberattacks with nuclear weapons. I wonder if Russia also does. Playing games with power grids etc is arguably much higher stakes than fighters messing with each other, or even with passenger planes. Or navy ships passing too closely. Edit: I guess that it was more like a heads up for adversaries. As in "don't think that we won't". Just i…

But hey, what if this helps with reelection, and your base love light shows, and mainstream media talk about you are not tough to Russia, and you have the biggest ego and the deepest bunker in the world, and you are 73 years old anyway?

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#55
post #54
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recall reading, some years ago, that the US reserves the right to respond to cyberattacks with nuclear weapons. I wonder if Russia also does. Playing games with power grids etc is arguably much higher stakes than fighters messing with each other, or even with passenger planes. Or navy ships passing too closely. Edit: I guess that it was more like a heads up for adversaries. As in "don't think that we won't". Just i…

But hey, what if this helps with reelection, and your base love light shows, and mainstream media talk about you are not tough to Russia, and you have the biggest ego and the deepest bunker in the world, and you are 73 years old anyway?

Yeah, I guess.

So just sayin', but I was in Moscow in 1984, when President Reagan's joke went public:

> My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.

Everyone pretty much knew that it was a joke, being that he was such a funny guy. But some folks in Ukraine did freak a bit, at first.

But this isn't just a joke.

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#56
post #7

Holy crap. This is huge news. Isn’t a cyber attack on critical infrastructure kind of an act of war? I’m not sure how wise this course of action is.

It's part of a larger game these nations are playing. There will not be a war between Russia and the US. Not with China who is ultimately the enemy of both Russia and the US. These incidents are meant to keep each other awake.

What do you mean by "these incidents are meant to keep each other awake"? Why would you want to keep a competitor awake?

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#57
post #41

Holy crap. This is huge news. Isn’t a cyber attack on critical infrastructure kind of an act of war? I’m not sure how wise this course of action is.

I recall reading, some years ago, that the US reserves the right to respond to cyberattacks with nuclear weapons. I wonder if Russia also does. Playing games with power grids etc is arguably much higher stakes than fighters messing with each other, or even with passenger planes. Or navy ships passing too closely. Edit: I guess that it was more like a heads up for adversaries. As in "don't think that we won't". Just i…

> that the US reserves the right

From whom do they reserve that right?

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#59
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recall reading, some years ago, that the US reserves the right to respond to cyberattacks with nuclear weapons. I wonder if Russia also does. Playing games with power grids etc is arguably much higher stakes than fighters messing with each other, or even with passenger planes. Or navy ships passing too closely. Edit: I guess that it was more like a heads up for adversaries. As in "don't think that we won't". Just i…

Every state "reserves the right" to do whatever they want, including things they have previously claimed they will not do. That is literally the definition of sovereignty.

Countries in Europe have given up some sovereignty to the EU.

Example: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_(Factortame_Ltd)_v_Secreta...

Re: U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid

#60

Wonderful. What better way to drive home the message that the Russian government’s strategy of control over internet and Great Firewall makes total sense from the POV of national security.

The Russian new law which would be effective on Nov 1st would handle the operation of routing (you read correctly, patching ISP's BGP tables) of over-the-border links to a state-running body (in case of emergency which is basically whenever they'd want) so it's not a firewall, I'd like to call it the Red Internet Plug.
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