Russia’s Cyber Power Base: From Cybercriminals to Private Contractors

Abstract

The Russia-Ukraine War has significantly impacted Russia's cyber ecosystem and the strategy, policy, and operations affecting and carried out by a web of criminal hackers, military and intelligence officers, and private-sector cybersecurity firms and state contractors. These cyber activities and evolutions impact Russian citizens, the Russian state's ability to launch offensive operations against Western powers, and the future of Moscow's technology ecosystem. Justin Sherman will present new findings from Margin Research’s data and OSINT analysis of Russian cyber power during the Russia-Ukraine War and specific Russian cyber actors supporting the Kremlin.

Bio

Justin Sherman is the founder and CEO of Global Cyber Strategies, a Washington, DC-based research and advisory firm, as well as a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council and an adjunct professor at Duke University. He works with New York-based cybersecurity company Margin Research on open-source software security, malicious code, and Chinese and Russian cyber threat actors and operations. He has written and consulted extensively on Russia’s internet, information, technology, and cyber strategy, policy, and operations.