Inside Cyber Warfare - Jeffrey Carr [139]
The growing links between Russian companies and Facebook helps the FSB and MVD Directorate K monitor possible opposition group Facebook activities. The FSB can monitor Internet activity originating in Russia because all outbound traffic passes through gateways controlled by government entities. MVD Directorate K can exercise authority over Russian telecommunications companies and instruct them to cut off access during internal disturbances. Day-to-day monitoring allows both the FSB and MVD Directorate K to identify possible “extremists” for inclusion in MVD Center E’s extremist database.[98]
Implications
Russian internal security concerns create potential problems for Western companies and law enforcement. The Russian government is concerned that the Internet provides dissident movements a way to organize anti-government actions and reach a worldwide audience. The government is particularly concerned about a Russian equivalent of the Ukrainian and Georgian “color revolutions,” which helped topple their governments. The Russian government sees social networking sites as especially threatening. As a result, major Russian social networking sites are now controlled by Russian businesses, which are controlled by pro-government figures. As discussed in Chapter 14, the 2011 Middle East revolutions, and the prominent role of social media attributed to their success, only increase those concerns.
If it sees a significant threat, the MVD will approach Western companies and law enforcement to get information on dissident groups that are using Western social networking sites. Indeed, the creation of MVD Center E helps lower the profile by moving inquiries from the intelligence services to the police. Inquiries will almost certainly be supported with evidence linking these groups to extremist activity. The MVD could also approach companies directly.
The FSB, however, could also exploit social networking sites through covert means because Russian law allows for “operational penetration.” Russian law also requires Russian companies and organizations—both government and private—to cooperate with the FSB. As a result, the FSB could request assistance in penetrating “extremist” groups using social networking sites partially owned by Russian companies.
Russian Federal Security Organization (FSO)—Military Unit (Vch) 32152
President Yeltsin established the FSO[99] in 1991—then named the Main Protection Directorate—from the KGB’s 9th Directorate responsible for leadership security.[100] As mentioned previously, President Putin disestablished the Federal Government Communications and Information Agency (FAPSI) in 2003, transferring the Special Communications and Information Service to the FSO, with other FAPSI elements transferred to the FSB. The FSO retained leadership protection responsibilities.
The Russian law assigns the FSO responsibility for organizing and running secure communications for state structures, and protecting them from foreign intelligence services. The FSO exercises these responsibilities through the Special Communications and Information Service. The Special Communications and Information Service runs the network of situation centers, which serves the president and state structures.[101] As noted earlier, in 2008 President Putin tasked the FSO with developing secure Internet connections for