US stops offensive cyber operations against Russia, reports official

US stops offensive cyber operations against Russia, reports official

The USA has stopped planning and carrying out offensive cyber operations against Russia, as a high-ranking US official CNN announced.

consequences of the operation setting

This decision represents “a significant setback”, the official representative continued. It is particularly worrying that preparations for such operations take advantage of time and comprehensive research. The concern is that the interruption of offensive cyber operations against Russia makes the United States more susceptible to potential cyber attacks from Moscow. Russia has a powerful group of hackers that are able to disrupt the critical infrastructure of the United States and collect sensitive intelligence information.

Development of US Russia relationships

The suspension of the operations and planning by the US cyber command, the military unit for the offensive and defensive cyber operations, takes place in a context in which the government under Donald Trump tried to make a to reach broader relaxation with Russia , three years after the start of the war in Ukraine.

The uncertainty in the US Ukraine relationship

In the meantime, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday in the Oval Office, which brought the relationship between the USA and Ukraine into an uncertain location.

official statement on cyber operations

“For reasons of surgical security, we do not comment on cyber intelligence, plans or operations. There is no greater priority for Minister Hegseth than the security of the soldiers in all operations, including in the cyber area,” a high -ranking defense officer told CNN, referring to Defense Minister Pete Hegseth.

The news agency The Record reported for the first time about the suspension of the planning by the cyber command in relation to Russia.

risks from the planning interruption

“It is not uncommon for the Pentagon actions to pause that are potentially destabilizing or provocative for negotiations, including cyber operations," said Jason Kikta, a former official of cyber command. “However, if a planned break was also arranged, this could lead to the offensive options no longer sustainable.”

kikta added: “Any longer phase without checking the access and updating the planning carries the risk of losing access or overlooking a critical change.”

The cyber confrontation between the USA and Russia

Current and former US officials report that Russia and the United States are in a constant state of confrontation in the cyber area. The Kremlin sees the cyber space as a source of asymmetrical advantages over the United States because it can penetrate and try to influence the US elections.

US measures against Russian cybercrime

On the other hand, American military and intelligence employees have increasingly targeted Russian cybercriminals and intelligence officers in recent years.

Review of cyber activities since 2016

since 2016, when Russia used bots, trolls and hackers to influence the election in favor of Trump, Moscow has repeated this scheme in a modified form in every US presidential election, said US official. The cyber command was set up over a decade ago to react to threats from Russia and other foreign powers. The command has developed considerably since its foundation and has grown to a several thousand people strong, which carries out offensive and defensive missions.

The role of cyber command in international security

from its location in Fort Meade, Maryland, near the National Security Agency, the Cyber ​​Command has increasingly gained importance as an instrument of the US power projection. Command has sent specialists to countries worldwide to support them to defend themselves against threats from cybercriminals and spies.

support for Ukraine

This included a visit to Ukraine in December 2021 to prepare for the full invasion of Russia and prepare Kiev for a wave of cyber attacks from Russia. Months after the more complete invasion of Russia, the cyber command confirmed that it was actively helping to defend Ukraine by cyber attacks.