[ISN] Why are Russians excellent cybercriminals?

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http://themoscownews.com/siloviks_scoundrels/20111121/189221309.html

By Mark Galeotti
siloviks and scoundrels
The Moscow Times
21/11/2011

Last month, the US Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive 
identified two countries as most eagerly trying to steal American 
secrets through cyberspace. This month, the FBIâs âOperation Ghost 
Click,â the investigation of a $14 million cybercrime case, led to six 
arrests and a hunt for a seventh. A few days later, it was revealed that 
hackers had taken over and sabotaged a water pumping facility in 
Illinois. Next month sees the trial of the so-called âking of spam,â 
charged with being responsible for perhaps 10 billion unwanted and often 
hoax email messages every day.

What do all these stories have in common? The US report identified 
Russia and China as the guilty parties; of the seven hackers involved in 
âGhost Click,â one is a Russian citizen, the other six ethnic Russian 
Estonians; the Illinois hack was traced to servers in Russia; and âking 
of spamâ Oleg Nikolayenko comes from Vidnoye, just outside Moscow.

Why does every hacking and cyberscam story -- real or fictional -- seem 
to have a Russia connection?

In part, it is prejudice and laziness. The stereotype of the Russian 
hacker has become such a common media trope that it gets recycled again 
and again. It also offers a handy update for those looking for new ways 
to perpetuate the âRussian threat.â

[...]

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