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Recently, we have reported several claims (here, here, and here) made by the Russian security software manufacturer Kaspersky Lab that they have discovered 'evidence' of NSA involvement in malware. Now, Bloomberg claims that the Moscow-based computer security company has effectively been taken over by the FSB. Company founder Eugene Kaspersky was educated at a KBG-run school, which was never a secret, but the new report describes a much more current and intimate connection.
Kaspersky Lab is denying the allegations, as one might expect, and counter with the statement:
It's not as though the US has clean hands in all of this. The CIA has funded the development of security software firms like FireEye, Veracode, and Hytrust though its In-Q-Tel investment fund, and American firms have been noticeably silent when it comes to investigating suspected US state-sponsored malware.
We are unlikely to hear the truth from either side, nor should we realistically expect a confession from the NSA or the FSB. Nevertheless, it is possible that the security industries on both sides are 'guilty' of looking after their respective government's interests and what we are seeing is just another day in the world of intelligence collection and cyber-security, the world of claim and counter-claim.
[Editor's Comment: Typo fixed at 15:39 UTC]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Nerdfest on Sunday March 22 2015, @02:09PM
At least they seem to help out citizens. The NSA keeps exploits to themselves and uses them against their citizens.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 22 2015, @02:54PM
How do they help? Do you think they are revealing the Russian exploits that are in the wild, or do you just take it on faith that the only government-sponsored exploits are done by the US?
(Score: 4, Interesting) by q.kontinuum on Sunday March 22 2015, @04:06PM
How about NSA (or other US cyber-security related entities, be it government or commercial) start publishing information on Russian or Chinese exploits? They could also improve their reputation with their civilians (and with us).
Registered IRC nick on chat.soylentnews.org: qkontinuum
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 22 2015, @05:10PM
Yeah, I think that's the best possible outcome. Let the different governments battle out the PR war by disclosing each other's exploits and in the meantime all the normal people benefit from the fallout of improved security. That would be a lot better than the fallout from an actual war.
Time for the NSA to step it up!
(Score: 2) by Adamsjas on Sunday March 22 2015, @05:28PM
I don't think the NSA wants those fixed. They probably use them for plausible deniability.
So maybe the solution is to run BOTH a US antivirus program and a Russian one?
Dueling Backdoors!
Twice the Pwnage.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 22 2015, @06:05PM
Doh. They're revealing the US ones.
Maybe it doesn't help you and whoever pays you. But it sure helps the rest of us.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 23 2015, @02:43PM
They are revealing exploits PERIOD. That helps.
Yes they happen to be 'ours' or 'yours' but that's not the point. The point is that they are shedding light. It's not because 'we' do crappy shit that it's ok.
Go back to your cave and annoy people over there.
(Score: 1) by Mr Big in the Pants on Sunday March 22 2015, @07:28PM
Well that is how disinformation works most successfully and why the NSA are fools sitting on about zero credibility now.
You build credibility with the truth and then lie when its very important or in subtle ways that cannot be verified. The rest of the time you ensure you are a source of information.
This is what they are doing.
And did no one else immediately realize there was a 99% chance they were doing exactly this the first time they came out with their "discoveries" just as the US and Russia start bashing heads?
Security company in russia or china with no government collusion or interference? Comrade, please!?
I for one would NEVER have their software anywhere near my computer...
(Score: 3, Insightful) by cafebabe on Monday March 23 2015, @12:40PM
We live in interesting times when alleged agents of the Russian security services do more to secure US software than the US security services.
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