Ukraine conflict spilling over into cyber-crime, warns former spy boss

Russian intelligence has begun sharing advanced malware developed for cyber-espionage with cyber-criminals, a former Canadian spy boss warns. Ray Boisvert, former assistant director and head of intelligence for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), told El Reg that Russian security agencies are sharing advanced …

[harmjschoonhoven]

No surprise

Russian intelligence has begun sharing advanced malware developed for cyber-espionage with cyber-criminals.

This will come as no surprise if you have read Bill Browder's book Red Notice or seen http://russian-untouchables.com/eng/.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: No surprise

Actually I am surprised that the sharing is in the direction stated.

I would have expected it to be the _OTHER_ way around.

It is much easier and cheaper for FSB and Co to get advanced malware from the established cybercrime operations. Provide sources, provide tech assistance or else...

[Sanctimonious Prick]

ISECIS?

Unfortunate.

[Anonymous Coward]

it's a war so all's fair

or at least this is how the Russians see it, they've always been quick to embrace various, often unconventional... options.

That said, releasing this "warning" is also, probably, a shot in the information war waged by both sides (let's not kid ourselves, it is "sides").

[Mark 85]

Is this really wise?

At some point, things may settle down and then the miscreants will go looking for new targets. Might it not be the very hand that is feeding it now? One should be careful when playing with rattlesnakes.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Is this really wise?

You mean like arming the contas? Or the mujahideen? Or Iraq? Or...Or...Or...

[Anonymous Coward]

Tit for Tat

US business practices have used Art of War techniques for decades. The complete integration of organized crime, government, and industry happened a long time ago - hasn't anyone noticed the strange absence of criminal cases against anybody in these three industries?

[CommanderGalaxian]

So as an "expert" he has stated what was already known to a large degree, by most anyone in the computer security industry - but as an "expert" shouldn't he be proposing some sort of plan of action?