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Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

bbc.com

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Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#71

Post by viraptor »

everdev wrote: post #20
azangru wrote: post #10

> Details of what the test involved were vague So we don’t know what exactly they tested. Why is this news, let alone an international one? Also, as far as I understand, what the Russians were officially saying was that they were developing fallback systems for the event if, in another bout of sanctions, Russia gets disconnected from the global internet. Which, given their standing with the international community, m…

> the journalists present this story as Russia's voluntary step towards isolating itself from the global internet. I am not sure why. Some potential benefits to Russia: 1. Thwart cyber attacks 2. Control information 3. Halt foreign online payments There are of course downsides, but I think the original premise was security in the event of war / aggression.

> 3. Halt foreign online payments

That is extremely unlikely to happen. Payments, banking, investment will be always connected, or placed abroad in the required way. At least for important enough transactions - probably not Amazon, but stock trades...

Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#72

Post by gdy »

rb808 wrote: post #14
madiathomas wrote: post #11

It was the next logical step for Russia after they built their own GPS and their alternative to the World Bank, the BRICS bank. Their biggest enemy has proven that they cannot be trusted and they are the ones who invented the Internet. Anytime they have a disagreement with a nation, they take their ball and go home. Like what they were doing with Huawei. I won't be surprised if China and India are working on the same…

Of course Russia has had its own version of GPS for decades. Those ICBMs need some way to find their destination. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLONASS World Bank has never been important to Russia. You're right the US is dominating financial world right now which most of the world hates and its inevitable for something else to compete.

I don't think ICBMs need glonass. They use astro and probably inertial guidance.

Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#73

Post by wilg »

FpUser wrote: post #32
azangru wrote: post #10

> Details of what the test involved were vague So we don’t know what exactly they tested. Why is this news, let alone an international one? Also, as far as I understand, what the Russians were officially saying was that they were developing fallback systems for the event if, in another bout of sanctions, Russia gets disconnected from the global internet. Which, given their standing with the international community, m…

There are very few real reporters left. Most of the articles reek of bias and since Russia is a designated bad country no matter what they do it is evil. I am not really trying to protect Russia here but articles like the one in the title are written for brain dead people. They should go try janitor work instead.

Which part do you think is incorrect or misleading?

Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#74

Post by tanyatik »

shadowgovt wrote: post #46
everdev wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> in Egypt in 2011 the government famously shut down the internet The news is that they can now isolate their Internet domestically and run a Russia-only WWW. They presumably could have shut it off completely from Day 1.

Are there services Russians use daily that would not be available on a Russia only WWW? The utility of the web isn't the protocols it technology employed; it's the content.

YouTube would be one prominent example; Wikipedia, Google search & hosting, Twitter are all popular.

There are also media of a more liberal nature who can’t comfortably host in RuNet / being registered as Russian companies, so they exist outside. meduza.io being a prominent example

Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#75

Post by baybal2 »

altmind wrote: post #35

Rarely mentioned, but Russia also tested the security of their (mobile signal networks) SS7 and Diameter systems Dec 16-17. It never fails to amaze me how little attention is paid to these systems that can track, intercept and hijack the comms of mobile phone users of any country, internationally.

Maybe because it is what they themselves were successful in pwning in the West?

It is a long running rumor in Russian internet that Russian spies managed to tap UK politician phones with fake roaming requests in 2016.

Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#78

Post by irascible »

Nasrudith wrote: post #56
everdev wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No security is full proof, but they call it "hardening the target" when you reduce your attack surface.

Of course security is an obvious pretense for control. The way you actually reduce attack surface is to take the critical pieces off of it and minimize the paths to be watched, not the whole system. That would be like ensuring it is possible to close off all of the highways into Washington DC to response time for the three federal branches. If it was actually that damn important they would make and use secure tunnels…

This is the equivalent of putting on armor before going to war.

Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#79

Post by conistonwater »

FpUser wrote: post #33
azangru wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, during a social unrest in Egypt in 2011 the government famously shut down the internet. Didn't help them much :-) I think the main concern of the Russian internet users is to get isolated from the rest of the internet indefinitely during peace time, in a way of China or North Korea. I am not sure we are seeing signs that the Russian government intends to go that far yet.

When all that mess with Russia/Ukraine had started the West was openly contemplating disconnecting Russia from the international payment services. That had lead Russia to develop it's own. The Internet is a vital infrastructure element. Leaving the risk of potential disruption to some US congressmen's whims is not a very wise choice. Of course it can be used with bad intentions as well but so can anything else. I thi…

> the West was openly contemplating disconnecting Russia from the international payment services

This is a claim made by the Russian government with little actual support as far as I know. It comes up every once in a while when the issue is mentioned, and is usually uncritically accepted.

Re: Russia 'successfully tests' its unplugged internet

#80

Post by coldtea »

azangru wrote: post #10

> Details of what the test involved were vague So we don’t know what exactly they tested. Why is this news, let alone an international one? Also, as far as I understand, what the Russians were officially saying was that they were developing fallback systems for the event if, in another bout of sanctions, Russia gets disconnected from the global internet. Which, given their standing with the international community, m…

>But the journalists present this story as Russia's voluntary step towards isolating itself from the global internet. I am not sure why.

Because Russia is the bad guy du jour... They have to gal to try to not sell their country and assets wholesale to foreign interests, plus something kleptocracy something (which the West never minds when it comes to allies, or their own behaviour in Asia, L. America, Africa, etc).

So you get the usual barrage or news items, and people who can't even point Europe on the map (much less such subtlety as to point to e.g. France or Russia) feel like they can have an opinion.

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