Commissars and Crooks

Russia is the second most active state going on the offense in cyberspace. From early disruptive actions against Estonia and Georgia to degrading attacks on critical infrastructure in Ukraine and, finally, complex espionage actions seeking to bring down the democratic processes, Russia has been one of the most aggressive and destructive actors in cyberspace. Yet, its efforts focus on breaking norms and disrupting the system rather than cyber violence. Evaluating the efficacy of Russia hacking activities, this chapter questions the conclusion that Moscow achieves its ends in cyberspace. More often than not, Russia fails, doubles down, and fails again. Rather, Moscow uses low-cost, deniable cyber actions to amplify broader propaganda efforts, sowing discontent within the governments and populations of the targeted state. This case demonstrates the mixed results of cyber strategies. Moscow has not achieved much, but its actions have put the world on notice that Russia is capable and dangerous.