Russia Has New Tool For Massive Internet Shutdown Attack, Leaked Documents Claim

It’s a new version of an old weapon — a creator of botnets that can drive an internet service offline with floods of fake data — that puts to use a previously untapped source of computing power: the ever-growing “internet of things.”

That doesn’t mean the Russian FSB security service will soon be peering through Americans’ cell phones and laptops or internet-connected doorbells. Instead, it means that the Russian government has a new tool for creating a DDoS-capable botnet. These botnets harness the computing power of millions of internet-connected things, direct them to spew random data at specific computers, and overwhelm vital services into uselessness. With millions of Americans newly teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has never been more dependent on the internet.

“Exploring how hacked internet of things devices could bring a small country or groups of websites offline also comports with Russia’s previous cyber behavior,” said Justin Sherman, fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative. “While Moscow denies involvement in many cases, incidents like the DDOS attacks against Estonia in 2007 highlight that breaking into connected devices, using them to redirect web traffic, and overwhelming servers to the point of total stalling or shutdown are a tried-and-true tactic for the Russian security apparatus.” That these leaked documents were created a couple of years ago underscores this fact, and may additionally indicate a similar interest on the part of the FSB in exploring how internet functionality could be compromised in other countries. The Mirai botnet is one cited example.” The Mirai botnet was 2016 attack against the servers of a company called Dyn. It caused significant disruption to Deutsche Telekom customers, routers in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.

If the leaked documents are proven authentic, Bendett said, then it’s one more example of how Moscow feels threatened by Western technology — and what they’re planning to do about it.

Russia Has New Tool For Massive Internet Shutdown Attack, Leaked Documents Claim

What?

This cannot be tru &$))# (#&&$ggggggggggggggggggggg

M^#HDF D&#)(%$MNmndh^.....................................................................................................................................

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