Cybersecurity

Kremlin’s ties to Russian cyber gangs sow US concerns

The relationship between Moscow and Russian cyber gangs may be tightening, spurred by international sanctions and disputes with the United States over military action in Ukraine and Syria, experts and federal lawmakers warn. 

Moscow has long been known to source its technology, world-class hacking talent and even some intelligence information from local cyber crime rings, or "the Silicon Valley of Eastern Europe," said Tom Kellermann, chief cybersecurity officer at security research firm Trend Micro.

In exchange, officials turn a blind eye to the rampant underground economy these cyber crime syndicates have constructed, fueled largely by mammoth data breaches at major U.S. retailers and banks.